Winter is a time of special experiments for many children. Among other things, children lick icicles and taste snow. What does modern science say? Is it really dangerous?
To understand this issue, journalists from the German publication Tagesspiegel consulted an expert — microbiologist and pediatrician Johannes Forster from the Institute of Hygiene and Microbiology at Würzburg University.
The specialist explains: the main route of transmission for viruses and bacteria causing respiratory infections is through droplets and tiny moisture particles that enter the air when breathing, talking, or coughing. Infection via surfaces is also possible, especially in the case of gastrointestinal infections, such as norovirus or rotavirus.
However, as Forster assures, the likelihood that children will actually contract these pathogens by licking icicles or eating snow is significantly lower than through contact with doorknobs at school or handrails on public transport. The possibility of infection is even higher in kindergartens and schools, where there are many people and where pathogens are better adapted to the conditions of the human body.
Winter is generally an unfavorable environment for many pathogens. As the expert argues, at temperatures around four degrees Celsius and below, viruses are inactivated faster than at room temperature, and after about a day in the cold, they almost completely lose their ability to infect people.
Bacteria that cause respiratory infections, such as Group A streptococci, do not multiply at temperatures below four degrees, and from zero degrees, when water freezes, their cell walls can even break down.
However, this does not mean that parents can safely allow children to eat icicles or snow. Johannes Forster is categorical: he does not recommend such treats, comparing them to drinking from a puddle.
Even if classic pathogens play a minor role, other unpleasant residues may well be present in ice and snow. Icicles formed on cars are particularly dangerous. They can accumulate residues of antifreeze, oil, or fuel.
Photo: Britta Pedersen / picture alliance via Getty Images
But even icicles on trees are not guaranteed to be safe. It's impossible to know exactly what was in the melted water higher up the branch: traces of bird droppings, for example, could have gotten into the ice.
It is difficult to accurately assess how high the probability is that a child will actually get sick from that icicle. But, as the expert notes, for most parents, the very thought of possible impurities in the ice evokes a natural aversion. And that, perhaps, is enough to grab a child's hand one more time before an icicle ends up in their mouth.
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