Laundry pods have emerged as an increasing threat to small children in recent months, and, despite the media attention given the issue, kids are still falling ill in increasing numbers after consuming the candy-like detergent capsules.

Laundry pods are a large convenience for many as they don’t spill, don’t leak easily, and are pre-measured to avoid overuse. But the brightly-colored capsules are also entrancing to small children and easily fit in a child’s mouth, and the number of cases of children becoming injured or ill after eating the tabs is as of yet on the rise.

In order to combat the problem of kids eating laundry pods, manufacturers are revamping packaging. But, in the interim, public health officials warn that parents should exercise caution when storing the detergent capsules in homes with small children to mitigate the risk of serious injury due to toddler consumption of the common household product.

No children have died due to laundry pod poisoning, but several have been hospitalized with some requiring ventilators and at least one undergoing surgery to repair internal damage done after eating a laundry pod. To date, the American Association of Poison Control Centers say that nearly 3,000 children have eaten laundry pods, all of whom were under the age of 5.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says it is looking into the issue but as of yet does not plan to ban laundry pods. Scott Wolfson of the CPSC says:

“CPSC staff is actively investigating various brands of laundry packs and working with the manufacturers due to information coming to our attention of children ingesting the material inside the packs. Parents and caregivers are reminded to keep all laundry and other hazardous products, regardless of their packaging, locked up and out of the reach of children.”

Laundry pod poisoning has been reported in the UK as well, but the number of children in those countries who have fallen ill was not immediately available.

Laundry Pods Still Poisoning Kids Despite Warnings is a post from: The Inquisitr