Study: Hundreds of children harmed by detergent ‘pods’

Associated Press

CHICAGO

Accidental poisonings from squishy laundry detergent packets sometimes mistaken for toys or candy landed more than 700 U.S. children in the 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-center calls about the products received in the past two years. The calls involved children younger than 6, 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 changes were made.

The products contain concentrated liquid laundry soap and became widely available in the U.S. 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 kids 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 6 percent — 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 center experts say the new concentrated laundry packets seem to cause more-severe problems.

The researchers examined 2012-13 data from the poison control centers group. Their study was published online today in Pediatrics.

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.