FAIRWAY, KS (KCTV) -
There's a new alert out for parents about something they probably have in their home right now. A coalition of poison control centers said the alert involves single-use packs of laundry detergent and kids.
Officials with more than 50 poison control centers across the country are reporting an increase in calls about children with exposure to the small single-dose packets.
Experts said they've received an increase in calls from parents whose children either come in contact with the irritating detergents or consumed them.
While they don't look harmful, the initial symptoms after a child ingests or comes into contact with the detergent can be scary.
The following are examples from the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) of exposure to children who have become ill from concentrated laundry detergent packets:
- 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.
- A 15-month-old who bit into a pack and swallowed a mouthful vomited profusely and, after arrival at a hospital, had to be put on a ventilator for airway protection.
- A 17-month-old bit into a packet and then rapidly developed drowsiness then vomited and breathed the product into the lungs. The child had to be put on a ventilator.
The AAPCC warned parents to keep detergents and laundry goods out of the reach of children, and to dispose of the product according to the label. Also, it is recommended to always call a poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 if it is believed a child has become sick from detergents.
Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp). All rights reserved.
