CHICAGO — Accidental poisonings from squishy laundry detergent packets sometimes mistaken for toys or candy landed more than 700 U.S. children in the hospital in just two years, researchers report. Coma and seizures were among the most serious complications.
The cases stem from the more than 17,000 poison center calls received in the past two years about the products. The calls involved children younger than 6, and most weren’t seriously harmed. But one child died last year, and the potential risks highlight a need for safer packaging, the researchers said.
Some manufacturers have revised packaging and labels to make the detergent packets, or “pods,” safer for children. The study found calls dipped slightly after some of those changes were made.
Overall, there were 17,230 poison center calls about young kids getting into the packets.
In the study, 144 children had eye injuries, 30 went into comas and 12 had seizures. The researchers examined 2012-13 data from the poison control centers group. Their study was published online Monday in Pediatrics.
