Ten Iowa children become ill after exposure to laundry detergent packets

Officials are warning Iowa parents about the dangers of laundry detergent packets after an increase in calls about small children being exposed to the highly-concentrated cleaning chemicals.

Some young children and toddlers who swallow the small packets have become ill, requiring hospitalization and, according to a release, the Iowa Statewide Poison Control Centers received 10 calls about children exposed to the packets since the beginning of April.

The children have ranged in age from eight months to four years. Though five of the children required hospital care, none became seriously ill and all have fully recovered.

More serious cases have been reported nationally. According to the National Poison Control Center, other instances of illness have included a 20-month-old who swallowed a packet, experienced profuse vomiting, wheezing, gasping and became unresponsive to painful stimuli. Also, a 15-month-old who bit into a packet had to be put on a ventilator.

“The rapid onset of significant symptoms is pretty scary,” said Michael Beuhler, the medical director of the Carolinas Poison Center. “Other laundry detergents cause only mild stomach upset or even no symptoms at all. Although we aren't certain what in the product is making the children sick, we urge all parents and caregivers to make sure laundry detergent packs are not accessible to young kids.”

The Iowa Department of Public Health and officials with the state's poison control center caution parents to keep the detergent packs away from children. Additionally, the American Association of Poison Control Centers recommends parents follow disposal instructions on the product's label and call 1-800-222-1222 if a child has been exposed to the detergent.