Laundry detergent pods – a new variation of an old product — are responsible for a soaring number of child poisonings, according to The New York Times. In late May the number was about 200 but as of late June, more than 1,200 children have been poisoned by the miniature packets containing detergent.
The colorful detergent for washing clothes is inside a small, clear bubble-shaped packet that can easily be mistaken for candy, especially by toddlers and young children. Of course, youngsters cannot read warning labels and the candylike appearance is inviting.
The American Association of Poison Control Centers has issued a warning about the highly concentrated, individual packets of laundry detergent. Some children have swallowed the packages and become very ill, requiring hospitalization. Others have gotten the product into their eyes, resulting in significant eye irritation. Others have been exposed to the detergent after putting it in their mouths and the bubble pod burst.
The AAPCC provided these examples of children who have become ill from detergent packets:
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Ten minutes after a 20-month-old swallowed a laundry detergent packet, the child developed profuse vomiting, wheezing and gasping and then became unresponsive to even painful stimuli.
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A 15-month-old who bit into a pack and swallowed a mouthful had profuse vomiting and, after arrival at a hospital, had to be put on a ventilator for airway protection.
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A 17-month-old bit into a packet and then rapidly developed drowsiness, vomited, breathed the product into the lungs, and had to be put on a ventilator.
According to Yahoo! Health, during a 72-hour period, nine poisonings of toddlers were reported to the California Poison Control System. In Texas, 71 cases of poisonings by detergent pods have been reported in the past few months.
Look-alike products can pose a severe health hazard to children, and older adults as well. When a dangerous product looks very similar to a safer product, children can be injured and even killed. The list of look-alike items is long – blue sports drinks or blue window cleaner, mini chocolate bars or laxatives, toothpaste or glitter glue, apple juice or tiki-style torch fuel, candy-coated chocolates or medicine tablets — these are only a few items.
If your family has been affected by dangerous look-alike products, you need to talk to a personal injury lawyer at Carr & Carr Attorneys. We help families which have been harmed by defective products, unsafe packaging, and look-alike products. Call 1-877-392-4878 to talk with an attorney today to find out what your rights are. Or contact us by email and we will respond as quickly as possible.
With offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa in Oklahoma, plus Springdale in Northwest Arkansas, we can help you no matter where you live or where the incident occurred. Also, remember time limits called “statute of limitations” are in effect for filing law suits. You must file a lawsuit before the applicable time limit expires. The time limit and other regulations are different in each state, so talk with the lawyers at Carr & Carr as soon as possible to learn what options your family has.
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- Recall: Futon Bunk Beds From Big Lots
Tags: child, child injuries, child safety, children, look-alike products
