Did you hear about the toddler who got a margarita at Applebees?

[U2_rocks!]

According to this blood alcohol calculator, one margarita consumed in 30 min by someone who weighs 35 lb would result in a blood alcohol level of about 0.146%. If you change the weight to 30 lb, his BAC would be about 0.172. Obviously this is just an estimate, and I have no idea how much the kid weighs or how long it took him to drink his half of a margarita, but it certainly seems likely that it was a normal drink, and that the BAC was high because of his small size, not because it was a stronger-than-normal drink.

That's what I was thinking - it wouldn't take much for a toddler to get a BAC of 0.1 due to their size. Also, the kid drank it on an empty stomach (he wouldn't eat his food) so it would have hit his bloodstream pretty quickly.

 

[DMRick]

Thanks for that site. I was just commenting on the person who thought it was for a lawsuit, that the weak drink couldn't have caused the .1. I agree with what you are saying..and the child could have even but lighter. I think it's scary to think of what could have happened.
I don't drink alcohol, but by what you are saying..how I wonder how someone would drive home legally after two drinks if they are a light weight. A female at 110 pounds would have a .55 and be impaired according to this chart. Scary to think what is on the road driving...they really push those drinks at Applebee's.

According to this blood alcohol calculator, one margarita consumed in 30 min by someone who weighs 35 lb would result in a blood alcohol level of about 0.146%. If you change the weight to 30 lb, his BAC would be about 0.172. Obviously this is just an estimate, and I have no idea how much the kid weighs or how long it took him to drink his half of a margarita, but it certainly seems likely that it was a normal drink, and that the BAC was high because of his small size, not because it was a stronger-than-normal drink.

 

[shortbun]

On the news last night they said this was the 3rd time applebee's has done this. One kid was served a long island ice tea and I don't remember what the other kid received.

I get that mistakes are made BUT alcohol can be really dangerous for toddlers and there must be steps taken to be sure it NEVER happens again.
Children's drinks should not even resemble adult beverages so when a waitperson delivers the beverage, there is no doubt. And, as a parent of a toddler, upon hearing about this my young one would have me as his taster from now on.

 

[BKMETV]

So do you think the test the hospital gave him was wrong? I'm not sure how you would 'fix' that, just so you could sue. .1 tells me there was a lot more liquor in that cup than they normally serve. Maybe it was just the part of the mix that is usually mixed with other contents and he got the full amount. He didn't even finish his drink..the doc said that was good, because if he had, at his size it could have killed him.

I have yet to see a report where the hospital said anything...all of the links on here quote the mother as saying the doctor told HER that the child could have died IF he drank the whole cup. I'm not saying that what happened was OK or that the child wouldn't be sick...I questioned the press printing that he could have died based on the mother said rather than an actual doctor.

 

[DMRick]

I don't think you will see a remark from the actual doctors with the hippa laws. If, as someone believes its being said for a lawsuit, then that doctor would be subpoenaed to court to testify..so what point is there for the mom to say it if it's not true? I don't imagine it would take much for alcohol poinsoning for a child that young. If he was .1 from just drinking roughly half, if he drank it all, it may have been .2, which is a lot for a child..heck, it's a lot for an adult. An accident here in NY killed 8 people, when she crashed head on into another vehicle and her bac was 1.9. She was so out of control the older kids were screaming for her to stop..and she was a full grown women. I can't imagine a small child, only 15 months old, what shape he would be in if he had drank all of the drink.
Glad to see they are now going to serve single packaged drinks to kids, but why would it take three times to fix the problem?

I have yet to see a report where the hospital said anything...all of the links on here quote the mother as saying the doctor told HER that the child could have died IF he drank the whole cup. I'm not saying that what happened was OK or that the child wouldn't be sick...I questioned the press printing that he could have died based on the mother said rather than an actual doctor.

 

[disneychrista]

If a premade mix that was accidently grabed and poured in the cup, as they would with AJ, and not blended with ice, it would be pretty strong. I am surprised the kids drank more than a few sips.

 

[MouseEarsJenny]

Another commenter suggests the mom gave her own mixed drink to the kid to calm him down and she got caught.

From what I understand (having read another article about this yesterday) both mom and dad are underage, and no one at the table ordered an alcoholic drink. Sounds like a simple mix-up, but I think the parents are entitled to be a bit peeved - you should be able to safely order food and drink for your child without being a taste tester. A 15 month old can't tell you that his drink tastes funny, and in a cup with a lid, it wouldn't necessarily smell funny either. I remember being quite annoyed when I took my pre-schooler to Arby's and she said "Mom, this chicken is weird" and I discovered that the chicken tenders she had been given were completely raw. Who knew they even cooked from raw??

 

[bumbershoot]

Not usually but on busy weekend nights, I do remember being instructed to pre-make the basic margarita with tequila.

Just thinking in general terms for adults getting drinks at Applebees, as gross as that sounds (pre-made margarita), it's SO much better than what I was thinking they used...was thinking they were serving a malt-based "margarita" that just came in a bottle.

...I think the parents are entitled to be a bit peeved - you should be able to safely order food and drink for your child without being a taste tester. A 15 month old can't tell you that his drink tastes funny, and in a cup with a lid, it wouldn't necessarily smell funny either.

I always make sure that DS got the right food. And heck, just today I ruined my tea by pouring half and half in it that had gone bad. (shouldn't have done so, the expiration date is May 1st) If I can't keep that straight for myself, I have no right to expect it from someone else.

As for little ones letting us know that they don't like a taste...small babies inform their mothers (by refusing to drink it) when their breastmilk has a lipase problem (some women have to pump and scald their milk to get rid of the weird smell from a lipase problem)...a 15 month old can certainly make a face or push it away...IF they don't like it. Maybe this kid liked the taste.

 

[Talking Hands]

I get that mistakes are made BUT alcohol can be really dangerous for toddlers and there must be steps taken to be sure it NEVER happens again.
Children's drinks should not even resemble adult beverages so when a waitperson delivers the beverage, there is no doubt. And, as a parent of a toddler, upon hearing about this my young one would have me as his taster from now on.

Same here for my grandson. I don't understand why a bartender was even involved in serving apple juice. Server getting and serving the apple juice from an area separate from the alcohol.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Bartenders generally pour all drinks in a restaurant with a bar.

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

A local private school in my area served Margarita's to their entire 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. Here's the story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58074-2004Sep28.html

 

[happygirl]

A local private school in my area served Margarita's to their entire 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. Here's the story:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58074-2004Sep28.html

I just don't understand you couldn't smell the stuff?

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I just don't understand you couldn't smell the stuff?

To be clear, it wasn't quite that local that I could smell it.

I don't understand the whole thing.

 

[happygirl]

to be clear, it wasn't quite that local that i could smell it.

I don't understand the whole thing.

lol

 

[JerseyJanice]

As for little ones letting us know that they don't like a taste...small babies inform their mothers (by refusing to drink it) when their breastmilk has a lipase problem (some women have to pump and scald their milk to get rid of the weird smell from a lipase problem)...a 15 month old can certainly make a face or push it away...IF they don't like it. Maybe this kid liked the taste.

I have to tell you that I'm not Googling what a "lipase problem" is, if for no other reason than that I am well past the point of ever needing to breastfeed again. I can tell you I've drank many delicious alcoholic drinks in my life that I couldn't even tell had any booze.

This was a mistake, I'm sure, but mistakes happen. No waitstaff or bartender would knowingly serve a toddler alcohol, but mix-ups in a busy place can happen sometimes. I hope this particular location reviews how it serves non-alcoholic drink from its bar and makes changes to ensure it never happens again.

 

[DMRick]

This was a mistake, I'm sure, but mistakes happen. No waitstaff or bartender would knowingly serve a toddler alcohol, but mix-ups in a busy place can happen sometimes. I hope this particular location reviews how it serves non-alcoholic drink from its bar and makes changes to ensure it never happens again.

They are now serving prepackaged drinks that will be opened at the table. From what others have said, this is the third time this has happened at an Applebee's. They should have delt with this the first time it happened..give them a break, and it should have been delt with the second time..now it's a third time.

 

[cm8]

They are now serving prepackaged drinks that will be opened at the table. From what others have said, this is the third time this has happened at an Applebee's. They should have delt with this the first time it happened..give them a break, and it should have been delt with the second time..now it's a third time.

 

[tlbwriter]

And apparently this is more common than I realized!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_fla_toddler_sangria