Jumat, 25 Mei 2012

Hundreds of children falling ill after mistaking detergent for sweets

Hundreds of children falling ill after mistaking detergent for sweets

  • Tide pods 'look like ribbon candy,' says poison control expert

By Claire Bates

PUBLISHED: 04:37 EST, 25 May 2012 | UPDATED: 04:39 EST, 25 May 2012

Miniature laundry detergent packets have caused a spate of poisonings after youngsters have confused the brightly coloured packets with sweets and swallowed them.

Doctors say they are concerned as nearly 250 cases have been reported in the U.S this year to poison control centres.

What is more the symptoms they see in connection with ingesting the packets - such as nausea and breathing problems - are more severe than typical detergent poisoning.

Some children have confused detergent pods such as Tide for sweets

Some children have confused detergent pods such as Tide for sweets

'We're not quite sure why it's happening,' said Dr Kurt Kleinschmidt from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

'But we've clearly had some kids who have become much more ill. We look at these pods as being clearly more dangerous than the standard detergent.'

Tide, Purex and other detergent manufacturers introduced different versions of the packets earlier this year. The lightweight plastic packets contain a single-use amount of detergent that dissolves in water. They're intended to be dropped into a laundry machine in place of liquid or powder detergent.

Several poison control centers started to get calls from parents about the packets in March and April, soon after they were introduced.

Texas reported 71 instances of exposure this year, all but one in March or later. Missouri reported 25 cases related to the packets, and Illinois reported 26.

'If you look at the Tide Pods, they're bright blue and bright red and they look very similar to some of the ribbon candy,' said Julie Weber, director of the Missouri Poison Control Center in St. Louis.

Paul Fox, a spokesman for Procter Gamble, the parent company of Tide, said all cleaning products need to be handled carefully. He said Tide was working with poison control centers and advocacy groups to make sure parents know more about the risks.

'The packs themselves are safe, regardless of who manufactures them, provided that they are used for their intended purpose,' Fox said.

'The risk becomes when they're left like any other household product within reach of small, inquisitive hands.'

Purex introduced the new packets in the U.S last year

Purex introduced the new packets in the U.S last year

Doctors said the packets appear to be more dangerous than just swallowing liquid or powder detergent.

Dr Michael Buehler of the Carolinas Poison Center said there were several possible reasons why, including that the packets carry a full cup's worth of detergent in bite-size form or the detergent in the packet might activate more quickly or differently.

'The children get sicker, more severe, and they do this quicker than what we've seen with standard liquid laundry exposure,' Buehler said.

In suburban Philadelphia, a 17-month-old boy was home with his mother when she "turned her back for the proverbial second," said Dr. Fred Henretig of the Poison Control Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

The boy climbed up on a dresser and popped a detergent package in his mouth, Henretig said.

The boy vomited, became drowsy and started coughing. He was eventually put on a ventilator for a day and hospitalized for a week, Henretig said.

Poison control centers in several states have issued or are preparing warnings for local emergency rooms and parents. The Indiana Poison Control Center was expected to advise parents in coming days about the packets' risk.

Detergent packets are common in Europe, but are a recent addition to the American market, Fox said. He said Tide Pods had done well against other detergent packets, but it was too soon to say if shoppers appeared to be replacing liquid and powder detergent with the packs.

Kiem Ho, vice president for marketing at Purex, said its UltraPacks packaging comes with warning labels to keep out of reach of chi ldren.

'This is a new form of laundry product and we will continue to join other manufacturers to safeguard and educate consumers on the correct storage and use of these products in the home' Ho said.

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These things are not "bite" sized. They are about an inch a half square in order to get one in a child's mouth they would have to bite into it! I don't see how they could just swallow one of these packets.

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What a sad reminder to parents that until a child is old enough to understand that it mustn't put things in its mouth without either being told it can or finding them on its dinner plate, it should be supervised, child-proof catches should be put on doors and where possible dangerous things put on high shelves. Small children have always put anything that looks interesting in their mouths given half a chance.

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I don't understand this, WHY are they left in reach of children? Article says: 'We're not quite sure why it's happening". UH, dumb parents?! Adults, keep ALL types of detergents, bleach, cleaning solutions, etc. locked up or up high where kids can't get to them or see them, it's common sense, it shouldn't even have to be said! Stupid parenting is why this is happening, we raised three kids, they could never get at anything, that's your job as a parent, keep them safe.

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How about you keep them out of reach of your kids and also take the time to teach them about things that are "Mr. Yuck".

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