A mom has issued a warning to other parents after her son was left with horrific burns after eating sweets.
The boy needed urgent medical attention after the high acidic content in the candy burnt his tongue.
First aiders at CPR Kids said while most labels on sweets come with warnings for children, they should be avoided altogether, regardless of age.
“It is important that parents and carers are aware of the potential for burns caused by sour lollies,” they added.
The image was shared on the organization’s Facebook page, by a mom in Perth, Australia, who wanted to make sure no other child suffers from eating treats.
It shows the boy sticking out his tongue, pointing to a red and inflamed patch in the center.
Sour sweets can be tasty, but little ones have sensitive tongues so it’s important that if you do give them treats you don’t opt for the sour variety.
Candy also contains a lot of sugar and the NHS says that sugar intake is highest in children aged 11 to 18 years old.
Children aged 4 to 6 should have no more than 19 grams of sugar a day, which is the equivalent to five sugar cubes.
Kids aged 7 to 10 should have no more than 24 grams of sugar a day, this is the equivalent to six sugar cubes.
It’s not clear what brand the sweets were, but some manufacturers state that everyone has different sensitivity levels when it comes to sour confectionary.
Another mum previously revealed her daughter’s horrific burns after she had stolen a lolly from her brother.
She said: “My daughter got into my son’s war head lollies.
“They are super sour and acidic. She come to me screaming ‘my tongue is sore.’
“They had burnt her tongue, she was beside herself. We spoke to a doctor and got advice on what to do.
“She is OK thankfully but I was so worried when I had seen what they had done to her.
“It was super scary”, she added.
What to do if your child burns their tongue
Tongue burns can be uncomfortable and treatment for it should include basic first aid.
Before you see a GOP or pharmacist, there are things you can do to help reduce the pain of a burn on the tongue.
- rinse the area with cool water for a few minutes
- suck on an ice cube – but make sure it does not have sharp ridges
- avoid hot liquids which could irritate the burn
- administer an appropriate pain relief medication to help with inflammation and discomfort
First aider and CEO of the organization, Nikki Jurcutz said sour lollies are acidic and can cause terrible burns to little ones.
“Introduce after five-years-old and with caution”, she added.
The lollipop the little girl consumed had been a War Heads lollipop, made by Impact Confections.
Advice on their website states that ‘some candy’ is only suitable for children aged four and over due to choking hazard.
When it comes to how sour their sweets are they explained: “As far as whether or not your taste buds can handle sour candy, that depends on the individual person.
“Some people’s mouths are more sensitive to acids in food (pineapple, citrus) as well as to sour candy.”
The acids used in the candy include Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid and Malic Acid.
“Please be aware that all these ingredients are approved by the FDA (Food and Drinks Administration) for use in foods and are included at levels at or below regulatory limits”, they said.
This story originally appeared on The Sun and has been reproduced here with permission.