Laundry detergent packets are bright, colorful, and smell good. However, a child can easily mistake them for a toy or a treat. Each year, poison centers receive a number of calls about children getting into laundry detergent.
According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), in January 2018, there were 606 incidents of exposure to high-concentration detergent packets by children 5 and younger reported by poison centers.
Exposure to laundry detergent packets can cause serious health complications. Symptoms resulting from contact with mouth, eyes, and/or ingestion of laundry packets by children may include:
- Excessive vomiting.
- Wheezing and gasping.
- Child feeling very sleepy.
- Corneal abrasions.
- Severe breathing problems (may result in the use of a ventilator to help with breathing).
Safety measures that parents and caregivers can take to prevent serious injuries to children include the following:
- Always keep detergent containers closed, sealed and stored up high, out of the reach of children.
- Allow children to help fold and sort clothes, but do NOT allow them to add detergent packets to the laundry.
- Follow the instructions on the product label.
- Call your local poison center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately if you suspect a child has been exposed to detergent.
Information courtesy of the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) and the American Cleaning Institute (ACI)