Crying child who asked for cold drinks after playing in hot weather suffers intestinal damage; medical professionals caution against the risks of consuming iced beverages
A case involving a seven-year-old boy from China who required admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) after consuming two iced drinks has sparked widespread debate online.
The child, hailing from Henan province in central China, was recently taken to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University.
He exhibited signs of abdominal pain and vomiting, and was diagnosed with acute volvulus—a condition where a section of the intestine twists around itself and its supporting tissue, causing a blockage.
Huo Yufeng, a physician at the hospital, reported that the boy also experienced severe necrosis, or the death of cells and living tissue, in his bowel.
He noted that the child had been playing outdoors in the sweltering heat and pleaded for a glass of iced cola, followed by a request for a cup of iced milk tea.