Elk Grove Village, IL—(ENEWSPF)—November 11, 2014. According to a study in the December 2014 issue of Pediatrics, “Pediatric Exposure to Laundry Detergent Pods,” (published online Nov. 10), 17,230 children under the age of 6 were exposed to laundry detergent pods from 2012 through 2013.
The most common route of exposure was ingestion (79.7 percent). One- and two-year-olds accounted for approximately two-thirds of cases. Among all children exposed, about half of cases were managed at home, 35 percent were treated and released from a health care facility, and one child died. Because children may be enticed by the colorful, candy-like appearance of detergent pods, the study authors conclude that a national safety standard is needed to improve product packaging and labeling.
Researchers recommend pediatricians and health care providers educate parents and child caregivers about the dangers of laundry detergent pod exposure, and the importance of safe storage and careful use of these products; households with young children should use traditional laundry detergent instead of the more toxic detergent pods.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 62,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.
Source: www.aap.org
