Laundry Detergent Pods Dangerous for Young Children: Study

A study conducted by the American Association of Poison Control Centers says that laundry detergent pods can be dangerous for young children.

Accidental swallowing of these pods is more harmful than ordinary detergent , says the study. The pods can cause vomiting, wheezing, gasping, sleepiness, breathing problems and corneal abrasions compared to mild stomach ache due to detergent poisoning.

Accidental poisonings  due to detergent pods resulted in hospitalization of more than 700 children during the first two years they were on the market. One baby died, reports ABC news citing the Associated Press.

The detergent pods are concentrated liquid detergent packets , which became very popular in the last two years. Their colourful packaging has often been mistaken for candies by the young children.

Dr. Mark Urban, the Pediatric Emergency Medical Director at St. Luke's, explained  to KTVB : "The main packet is usually polyvinyl alcohol which is rapidly dissolvable ... the issue with that is the polyvinyl alcohol is water soluble and, if you eat it, it can be absorbed by the body."

In 2012, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention had issued a warning concerning the pods .  In 2012, detergent packet calls accounted for about 6 percent of the 111,000 calls involving young children and cleaning products, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

In March this year the American Cleaning Institute issued a voluntary guidance statement urging manufacturers to prominently display safe handling information and to start a contact and education program of the risks with parents, reports the Associated Press.

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