Four-year-old girl in hospital after drinking drug GHB from water bottle at Albury

A young girl is in hospital after she allegedly drank the drug GHB that had been stored in a plastic water bottle.

Paramedics were called to a home in Albury in southern NSW at 11.30pm on Friday to reports the four-year-old was choking after ingesting a small amount of the drug. 

The girl was taken to Albury hospital but then had to be flown to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne in a critical condition.

On Monday, police said the girl's condition had improved significantly and she did not appear to be suffering any ill effects from the overdose. 

Police have charged a 30-year-old man with drug possession and he was granted bail to appear in court on November 22, The Border Mail reports.

A police spokeswoman said officers had seized two plastic bottles containing GHB. She said the Department of Family and Community Services had been notified. 

"Emergency services were called to a home in Albury on Friday night after the child fell ill after reportedly drinking a small amount of GHB," the spokeswoman said. 

"It's believed the drug had been stored in a plastic water bottle. 

"The child was taken to hospital by NSW Ambulance paramedics and remains critical. 

"A 30-year-old man was arrested by police and taken to Albury police station. 

"He was charged with possessing a prohibited drug." 

According to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, GHB has a high risk of overdose. 

"The chemical composition of GHB is highly variable," the foundation's website states.

"It's very easy to take too much GHB - the difference between the amount needed to get high and the amount that causes an overdose can be hard to judge." 

Overdoses can result in death, and the drug can also cause seizures, unconsciousness, blackouts, hallucinations and irregular breathing. 

Investigations are continuing.

The Border Mail