It is clear that the sweets are made in bright colors to get attention of consumers, especially children, and make them more palatable. But I often wonder, is this necessary with toxic products?
Will I stop buying this or that detergent because of its color? Market studies indicate that yes, but I think they do not take into account all the risks that this entails ... And they are not few, at least for children. Why in the United States between 2012 and 2013 there have been 700 cases of detergent capsule poisoning in children under six years.
These are products that contain concentrated liquid laundry soap and whose toxicity is high (more than a "traditional" detergent, with less concentration). They have great popularity in many countries and, although in Spain maybe less, they do exist in the market.
Children see things in a different way and one of these colorful capsules may seem like a toy or a treat. Why are detergent capsules as striking as goodies? Don't they encourage children to take a bite? Why don't these containers have more security? And finally, why don't we put the detergent in safe places, out of the reach of little ones?
If they are so frequent accidental poisoning caused by soft detergent capsules (I imagine that both washing machine and dishwasher), it is because children have confused them with toys or candies, but also because they were within reach.
That is why they should be educated about the risk involved, never allow them to touch or play with them and especially prevent them from catching them, in the same way as any other cleaning product, medications ... Remember that, among the most frequent poisonings in childhood, household products are in second place, only surpassed by drugs.
The study by toxicology experts at the National Children's Hospital in Ohio reported many cases of children under six who swallowed, inhaled or were otherwise exposed to the chemicals in those small soap packages.
The consequences are quite serious. and although in the cases registered in the study there was only one case of death, it already seems enough. Among the most serious complications were coma (30 children) and attacks (12 cases). There were also burns to the eyes (up to 144 children), mouth and throat.
We must be more attentive if possible with the smallest, because children under one and two years were almost two thirds of the cases collected in the study: they explore everything with hands and mouth, do not know the fear or risk.
The 769 cases of intoxication that required hospitalization were detected among the more than 17,200 calls to the Poison Control Centers that involved children under six years in contact with detergent capsules.
That is, serious cases of poisoning of children who confuse detergent capsules with treats They could easily increase if safer containers are not manufactured, if their manufacturing, labeling is not regulated ... and if we are not more attentive. Because you have to try to stop these accidents in every possible way.
