A seven-year-old boy in China’s Henan province was admitted to intensive care after drinking two ice-cold drinks back-to-back, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. It triggered a serious bowel condition that required urgent treatment. The child was playing outside in hot weather when he asked for a glass of iced cola, then followed it with a cup of iced milk tea. Soon after, he developed severe stomach pain and vomiting.

His parents reportedly rushed him to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, where doctors diagnosed acute volvulus, which is a condition in which a loop of intestine twists around itself and its supporting tissue, cutting off blood supply.

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As mentioned by the outlet, Dr Huo Yufeng, who treated the boy, said that he also suffered necrosis, meaning parts of his bowel tissue had died. The medical team said the combination of extreme heat and rapid consumption of large amounts of iced, sugary drinks caused his suffering.

The case has sparked debate online in China about the risks of cold drinks, especially for children. “An adult might not even be able to stand two iced drinks in a row. The child’s family spoiled him too much. As the old saying goes, ‘To spoil the child is to ruin the child’,” one online user said as quoted by SCMP.

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“I have told my child to avoid drinking iced drinks after training,” another user said.

Pediatric specialists note that a sudden influx of ice-cold liquid can cause the intestines to contract, and in young children with more fragile bowels, it can sometimes lead to obstruction.

Experts suggest that children and elderly people shouldn’t consume large volumes of iced water or sweetened carbonated drinks on hot days, and should offer room-temperature drinks instead.

As for the boy, he reportedly remains under hospital care.