They’re squishy. They’re brightly colored. They’re convenient for adults. They’re extremely enticing to kids. And they’re extremely poisonous. We’re talking about detergent pods, which children often mistake for candy or toys and have landed more than 700 U.S. children in the hospital in two years, according to a research study. The most serious complications children have suffered are coma and seizures.
The study researched more than 17,000 calls placed in the past two years to poison control centers about children consuming the detergent pods. The calls involved children under the age of 6 and most weren’t seriously harmed by ingesting the concentrated liquid laundry soap. However, a 7-month-old baby died last year, according to researchers.
These accidental poisonings highlight the need for manufacturers to revise packaging and labels in an effort to make the detergent pods safer for children. One maker has already changed its packaging, and researchers found that calls to poison control centers dropped slightly after the change was made.
Children often burst the detergent capsules or put them in their mouths. This can result in poisoning, but also burns to the eyes, mouth, and throat. In the study, 144 kids suffered eye injuries, 30 went into comas, and 12 had seizures.
Since poison of young children from household cleaning products is one of the top reasons for calls to poison control centers, it’s imperative that detergent pods and other chemicals are kept out of reach of little hands. It’s also important to post the number to your poison control center prominently in your home and educate your children that cleansers aren’t candy or toys.