Accidental poisonings from
squishy laundry detergent packets sometimes mistaken for toys or sweets
landed more than 700 US children in hospital in just two years, researchers
report. Coma and seizures were among the most serious complications.
The cases stem from the more than 17,000 poison centre calls about the
products received in the past two years. The calls involved children younger
than six and most weren’t seriously harmed. But one child died last year and
the potential risks highlight a need for even safer packaging, the
researchers said.
Some manufacturers already have revised packaging and labels in efforts to
make the detergent packets or “pods” safer for children. The study found
calls dipped slightly after some of those changes were made.
The products contain concentrated liquid laundry soap and became widely
available in the US two years ago. Some are multicolored and may look
enticing to young children. Poisoning or injuries including mouth, throat
and eye burns can occur when children burst the capsules or put them in
their mouths.
In the study, 144 had eye injuries, 30 went into comas and 12 had seizures.
Exposure to household cleaning products is among the top reasons for calls
to poison centers involving young children. In 2012, detergent packet calls
accounted for a fraction — about six per cent — of the 111,000 calls
involving young children and cleaning products, according to the American
Association of Poison Control Centers. Many calls involve regular laundry
detergent, which can cause mild stomach upsets, but poison centre experts
say the new concentrated laundry packets seem to cause more severe problems.
Jessica Morin of Houston says her nine-month-old daughter, Marlow, became
sick earlier this year when Jessica’s grandmother mistook a detergent pod
for a teething toy and put it in the baby’s mouth.
‘Very lucky’
“I called poison control and they said to take her to the ER immediately,”
Morin said. Marlow was repeatedly vomiting and underwent tests, but doctors
at Texas Children’s Hospital found no serious damage and she didn’t need to
stay overnight.
“We were very lucky,” Morin said. “We don’t have those pods in our house
anymore.”
The researchers examined 2012-13 data from the poison control centres group.
Their study was published online on Monday in Pediatrics.
Overall, there were 17,230 poison centre calls about young kids getting into
the packets, including 769 children who were hospitalized. Dr Gary Smith,
the study’s lead author, said his hospital had two recent cases — kids who
developed breathing problems and required treatment in the intensive care
unit. He’s director of the Centre for Injury Research and Policy at
Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
The American Cleaning Institute, which represents makers of cleaning
products, issued voluntary guidance in March encouraging manufacturers to
use labels that prominently list safe handling information. The cleaning
institute said it is also working with manufacturers to educate parents. But
a survey the group released last week suggests many consumers still don’t
know about the risks.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says children should not be allowed
to handle the packets and advises parents to store them out of children’s
sight and reach.
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