According
to a recent study
published in Pediatrics, exposure to
laundry and dishwasher detergent pods increased 17% and 14%, respectively, among
children under age six from 2013 to 2014, with most exposures (85%) occurring through
ingestion. Researchers reported these
findings after analyzing data from the National Poison Data System on reported exposures
to packet and non-packet laundry and dishwasher detergents. The researchers identified
62,254 cases of pediatric exposures to these detergents, with exposure to
laundry detergent pods accounting for 35.4% of these cases.
Researchers
found that children exposed to laundry detergent pods were 3.9 to 8.2 times
more likely to experience clinical effects, most commonly vomiting, than
children exposed to any other detergent type or form. They found that children under age 3 were at
the highest risk of exposure due to the large amount of time they spend in the
home, their newfound mobility, and their curiosity leading to exploratory and
mouthing behavior. Exposure to laundry
pods was linked to coma, respiratory arrest, pulmonary edema, and the deaths of
two children.
A CNN
article discussing the study explains that laundry pods were introduced in
the United States in 2012 as a less messy alternative to detergent powder. They are typically colorful and have strong
fragrances, characteristics that are thought to attract children. Researchers recommend storing the pods out of
sight in a locked cabinet and that the parents of children under age six use
traditional laundry detergent rather than pods.
