Greater numbers of children are exposing themselves to toxic chemicals by making meals of laundry detergent packets, according to a new study.
There was a 17% increase in reports of children under six exposing themselves to the pods from 2013 to 2014, according to a paper in the upcoming edition of “Pediatrics.”
Using data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers, lead author Mallory Davis and her colleagues said that that all types of exposures were increased, but laundry pods were more dangerous than regular laundry detergent.
The laundry blobules were also seen as more harmful for children than their similarly compact and colorful dishwashing packets, which saw a 14% increase in exposures.
Among the medical side effects for those who had reported incident with any sort of detergent — the majority of which involved children under 3-years-old — were vomiting, choking and eye irritation.
However, the 22,000 reported incidents of exposure to laundry detergent packets saw higher rates of hospitalization, resulting in 17 comas, six respiratory arrests, four cases of fluid in the lungs and two deaths.
The study’s authors urged parents to use traditional laundry detergent while their children are young and vulnerable to possibly mistaking the products for something to eat.
However, the spike in reports of exposures to the detergent occurred despite the team at Nationwide Children’s Hospital having made the same recommendation in 2014.
Some companies have already begun rolling out changes, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that Tide and Gain brands will soon come in bags that are harder for children to open.
Companies also reportedly now coat the pods in a “foul-tasting substance” to ward off those who might find them appetizing.
