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Serious adverse health outcomes have been documented in young children after exposure to single-use laundry detergent packets, or “pods” (NEJM JW Pediatr Adolesc Med Jan 2015 and Pediatrics 2014; 134:1127). Using 2013–2014 data from a national database of poison control center calls, researchers compared exposures to packet and nonpacket laundry and dishwasher detergents in U.S. children aged <6 years. Results were as follows:
Roughly 62,000 exposures were reported (13 per 10,000 children aged <6 years); 60% involved packet detergents (35% laundry packets).
The rate of exposures increased by 15% overall during the 2-year study period and increased most for laundry packets (18%).
Eighty-six percent of exposures occurred in children aged <3 year…