Local Kids Sickened After Eating Laundry Detergent Packets
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Laundry detergent packets might be a great alternative to the messes caused by liquid detergents, but children have been eating them and getting sick.
Ten kids from our area have eaten the packets, according to Ed Krenzelok from the Pittsburgh Poison Center. Two of them occurred on Thursday alone.
Nearly 250 cases have been reported nationwide.
"These are highly concentrated, and children ingest them and have almost immediate episodes of vomiting," said Krenzelok.
He says none of the kids in our area have had to go to the hospital, but a 17-month-old in Philadelphia was hospitalized for a week after ingesting one of them.
"When they bite into them, we think that sometimes they get droplets that sort of aspirate into their lungs, and as a result, children have difficulty breathing," said Krenzelok.
Some say the brightly colored packets resemble candy.
We found packets made by All, Purex and Tide. All three have warning labels on the back.
Paul Fox, a spokesperson for Procter & Gamble which makes Tide, told the Associated Press, "The packs themselves are safe, regardless of who manufactures them, provided that they are used for their intended purpose."
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