According to a report recently released by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 1,008 cases of detergent poisoning among kids during a 30-day period this summer. Of these cases, 486 were caused by the new brightly colored laundry pods that have been heavily marketed lately and which young children mistake for candy. Poison centers have been seeing an average of 10 cases a day, the CDC reported.
Of these poisonings, ninety-four percent are children younger than 6 years old. Additionally, the CDC reports that children who ingested laundry pods got sicker than children who ingested other forms of laundry detergent.
Children who eat laundry pods may experience severe vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness and potentially life-threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing.
Proctor & Gamble, the maker of Tide pods announced that it plans to unveil new childproof packaging and a larger warning label on the jar that holds the pods by this summer. Until these changes are made, poison control experts say that its up to parents to be aware of the risks of these laundry pods and keep them out of the reach of children.