Chemical burns and eye injuries in toddlers have risen since laundry pods or laundry detergent packets hit store shelves in 2012. A new study has learned that from the year it was released till 2015 there was a 30 percent increase in injuries among 1,200 kids below 4-years-old.
The study, published in the JAMA Ophthalmology journal, showed about 12 incidents were reported in 2012. Three years later, however, the injury reports rose to 480.
"The liquid detergent in the pods is not the same as regular liquid detergent," scientist Eric Moorhead, who was not part of the study, told CNN. "It has a higher concentration of surfactants, chemicals that are responsible for stain removal."
Moorehead further said the laundry pods' high concentration of chemicals can easily irritate the skin, especially around the eye area. Researchers thought those most at risk from the packets are workers in factories who could get splashed by the chemicals in the eye.
The packets, however, look like toys or candies in bright colors, thus curious toddlers find these interesting. Researchers were surprised to learn that most of the injuries happened at home and among toddlers who were able to get hold of the laundry pods.
Experts warned the chemical burns and eye injuries from the laundry pods can lead to long-term vision impairment. "It's not only eye injuries. Children will also swallow these," pediatric doctor Michael Grosso said.
Parents are advised to wash out the child's hands and eyes thoroughly in case of accidents. "Take your child and put their eye under cool water under the faucet and flush it with cool water for 20 minutes," Grosso said. A trip to the hospital emergency room might be necessary as well.
Parents are also advised to keep the laundry pods out of reach of children. The experts are also asking manufacturers to consider changing its packaging.
American Cleaning Institute (ACI) said in a statement that manufacturers have been in compliance with safety standards even before the study came out. "By the end of 2016, more than 99 percent of the volume of liquid laundry packets being shipped to retailers were in compliance with the ASTM standard," the statement said, according to Fox News.
