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Laundry detergent pods linked with increase in poison control calls
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Laundry detergent pod exposure among children aged younger than 6 years led to 17, 230 reports to US poison control centers from 2012 through 2013 , according to study findings published in Pediatrics.
Researchers analyzed data from the National Poison Data System for all laundry detergent pod exposure calls from 2012 through 2013 among children aged younger than 6 years. Exposure was categorized as ingestion, aspiration, dermal, ocular, inhalation and other multiple routes with ingestion.
During the study period, there was an average rate of 3.67 laundry detergent pod exposures per 10,000 US children aged younger than 6 years. Exposure was highest among children aged 1 year (33.3% of cases) and 2 years (31.5%). The monthly number of exposures increased by 645.3% from March 2012 to April 2013 and decreased by 25.1% from April to December 2013.
Ingestion was the most common route of exposure (79.7%), followed by multiple routes with ingestion (10.4%) and ocular (7.2%), the researchers wrote.
Approximately 5.2% (n=904) of reports included details of the scenario associated with the child’s access to the laundry detergent pods. Of these, 42.3% reported laundry detergent pods were stored within the child’s sight or were always left out; 10.7% reported the pod container was in use and temporarily left open while the caregiver was distracted; 9.1% reported the pods were store inappropriately; and 6% reported pods were stored in a low, unlocked cabinet.
Vomiting was the most frequent clinical effect of laundry detergent exposures (48%), followed by coughing/choking (13.3%); ocular irritation or pain (10.9%); drowsiness or lethargy (7%); and red eye or conjunctivitis (6.7%), according to researchers.
Two deaths occurred in 2013; one was due to laundry detergent pod exposure in a 7-month-old child, the other cause of death was not confirmed.
“This nationwide study underscores the need for increased efforts to prevent exposure of young children to these products, which many include improvements in product packaging and labeling, development of a voluntary product safety standard, and public education,” the researchers wrote. “Product constituent reformulation is another potential strategy to mitigate the severity of clinical effects of laundry detergent pod exposure.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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