A six-year-old boy suffered seizures and brain death in Mexico after accidentally ingesting an energy drink. Experts explain some risks that these substances have.
After a week in a coma, the death of Francisco Cervantes, a boy from Tamaulipas (Mexico) who, by mistake, ingested an energy drink that ended his life this Thursday.
According to the local news portal Today Tamaulipason April 16, Francisco was at his grandparents’ house when he drank a glass of the energy drink Monster Energy It belonged to one of his older cousins. “Almost immediately he began to convulse until he passed out,” One of his relatives commented for the media.
‘Panchito’ was admitted to the emergency room of the Dr. Alfredo Pumarejo General Hospital where he was immediately diagnosed with intoxication. A few days later, the doctors notified his mother that the boy showed no reactions and that they were preparing for the worst case scenario. On Thursday morning he passed away from brain death.
During his last days, Panchito’s family received donations from the population, since one of his aunts shared the case on his social networks. Similarly, she thanked all the support, “I thank all the people who supported and those who continue to support my cousin. God bless you all, thanks for being on the lookout.” He said in the facebook post.
How can an energy drink affect a child’s body?
Energy drinks have high doses of caffeine that can harm both children and adults. In children’s organisms, they are especially harmful. “Caffeine is more harmful to the cardiovascular and immune systems of children and adolescents.” This is indicated by an article published in The world.
These types of beverages can cause in children symptoms such as increased blood pressure, sleep disturbances, irritability, restlessness, nervousness, tooth decay, diabetes, and in fatal cases like that of Francisco Cervantes, brain death.
“Energy drinks contain substances that are very harmful to our children, such as caffeine, guarana and taurine. Caffeine, the most popular stimulant, has been linked to several deleterious health effects in young people, such as the development of the neurological and cardiovascular systems. The article says.
Gloria Molina, head of the Tamaulipas Health Secretariat (SST) declared for the media that “At the moment the causes of his death cannot be defined. But they are carrying out the different diagnoses and medical studies to determine what caused the death of the child.”
In addition, the case has already been reported to the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) so that the pertinent investigations can be carried out.