Laundry pod poisoning is so common and so dangerous that people with children under six years old are now advised to keep them out of the house entirely.
A recent study found that more than there were more than 22,000 calls to poison control centers regarding children under the age of six exposed to laundry p0ds, from 2013 – 2014, and that laundry pod poisoning is more likely to be fatal or have serious consequences than exposure to regular detergent. Attempts to make the pods safer have failed to reduce the number of poisonings. Maybe it’s time to pull the deadly pods off the market.
The Dangers of Laundry Pods
Laundry pods hit the market in 2012, and poison control centers were quickly swamped with calls. The recent study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that children exposed to laundry pods were more likely to require intubation, be hospitalized, and suffer serious medical outcomes, than those exposed to regular detergents.
During the study period only two children died from laundry pod poisoning. However, the pods also resulted in:
- Coma
- Pulmonary edema
- Respiratory arrest
Protecting Your Child
Researchers recommend using traditional forms of detergent in households where children under six live or visit. It is really that simple. Keep the pods out of your home and if your child is going to spend time in someone else’s home, ask them if they use laundry pods and make sure they are aware of the danger.
There is no need for laundry pods. Regular liquid and powdered laundry detergents work just fine. But the pods are very convenient, and apparently they sell like hotcakes. However, they have proven to be so dangerous that researchers say they should be pulled from the market if the number of poisonings doesn’t come down.
If your child has been harmed by a laundry pod, please talk to an experienced defective product attorney about your rights and potential compensation for your child’s injuries.
About Sandra Dalton
