CDC: Detergent pods 'an emerging public health hazard'
EUGENE, Ore. - Pods holding laundry or dishwashing detergent may be convenient for adults, but they might look like candy to kids.
During just one month last summer, poison centers across the country received more than a thousand phone calls about detergent exposure.
Most were calls for children under six, and almost half involved those tiny dissolvable packets called pods.
And children who ate pods were usually sicker than those who ingested other forms of detergent, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report.
The report called exposure to pods "an emerging public health hazard in the United States."
"So it depends on how much they're ingesting," said Dr. Sandra Miller with Oregon Medical Group. "Usually we saw a lot of nausea and vomiting with it, and it would depend on how much they ate."
Norkenzie Christian Preschool worked with KVAL News to show a classroom of 3-year-olds an array of candy - and detergent pods.
From 18 pieces on the table - 15 pieces of candy and 3 pods - not one of the kids picked the pods as looking "tastiest."
But they didn't quite know why - and said the pods looked like candy.
No one wanted to taste, but they had no problem at all smelling the pods and determining they didn't smell tasty.
KVAL News also gave parents a look at the pods.
"That's a scary," said Roger McConnell, father of a 3-year-old. "It just looks very similar to candy."
"They also look like toys," said Cheryl Stephenson, parent of a 2-year-old, "and you know that kids put toys in their mouths, especially at this age, so I would totally see where she might put that in her mouth."
Dr. Miller said that if your child does happen to ingest a detergent pod, it's best to immediately call poison control at 1-800-222-1222 instead of driving to a doctor.
Detergent makers have responded to the concerns by stressing guidelines for the safe use and storage of the pods.
Now I suppose they will stop making these pods because some parents are too lazy to keep them out of the way of their kids. I love these pod things and don't want them taken off of the market.Â
The soap pods are not the problem. Lazyness or irresponsibility on the part of the parent is the problem. A good parent does not leave any chemicals anywhere where any child can access them. Now you can come down on me and say you can't watch a child 60 minutes of every hour or 60 seconds of every minute. I would say you are probably right, but you can restrict access to any chemicals that could harm your child, that is fairly simple even if it requires locking them up. Don't be lazy or lax protect your child. Don't blame someone else because you did not do your job.
From the Oregon Poison Control Center: On average, poison centers handle one poison exposure every 14 seconds.Most poisonings involve everyday household items such as cleaning supplies, medicines, cosmetics and personal care items.Seventy-seven percent (77%) of poison exposures involve ingestions of a poisonous substance.  Children and Poison:Over 46 percent of poison exposure calls to the Oregon Poison Center occurred in children under the age of five in 2010. And they have a recent warning out about these soap pods.
It's called lack of common sense on the parents part and lack of parental supervision!!!
It's called don't let your children around them. Be parents & watch your kids! My daughter is 2 years old and has never been anywhere near my kitchen or laundry room where these are stored in my house. Called baby gates use them!
It's the PARENTS responsibility to make sure that household chemicals stay out of the hands of children.  Pay attention here folks: the nanny state can't protect your kids from everything.