Tide Pod laundry detergent has rapidly gained popularity because of the convenience it brings to our daily lives, but it’s important to note that there is a potential for children to mistake these little packets of detergent for sweet treats or chew toys, which may lead to serious injuries. The single-use laundry detergent capsules have become the subject of multiple personal injury lawsuits brought by families whose children suffered injury after ingesting detergent.
In a petition posted on Change.org, one Chicago grandmother is calling for different packaging that would, hopefully, prevent more children from injury. The woman decided to take action after her 15-month-old grandson suffered internal injuries and chemical burns after ingesting laundry detergent contained in a Tide Pod. Her suggestion is that individual wrapping for each pod would reduce their appeal to small children, who may mistake the brightly-colored capsules for candy or toys.
Recently, the American Association of Poison Control Centers released data on more than 6,275 reports filed with U.S. poison control centers in 2012 alone regarding exposure to the highly concentrated detergent contained in the pods by children under the age of 5. Between Jan.1 and Sept. 30 2013 at least 7,669 reports have been filed after young children were exposed to the chemicals.
Tide Pods and similar products are designed to make the dispensing of laundry detergent more convenient and less messy as each small packet contains enough soap for a single load of laundry. Unfortunately, the Proctor & Gamble products resemble brightly-colored teething toys or candies, and are sold in large containers that some claim resemble candy bowls. Additionally, many allege that Proctor & Gamble did not furnish adequate package warnings about the dangers of ingesting the concentrated detergent.
Though Proctor & Gamble did add a warning label to containers of the pods in July and has agreed to modify the container to make it more difficult for children to open, many parents of children who have been injured claim that this is not enough. In another Change.org petition, it is noted that the instructions for parents to give milk to children who have swallowed detergent may only make those children sicker.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children who ingest the detergent may be subject to:
- Spitting
- Vomiting
- Changes in mental status
- Respiratory distress
- Seizures
The agency warns parents to keep the product out of children’s reach and to contact Poison Help at (800) 222-1222 in the event of exposure.
At this time, The Law Office of Melinda J. Helbock, A.P.C. is accepting Tide Pod poisoning cases on behalf of the families of children who have suffered serious injuries after ingesting this detergent. If you would like to learn more about potential compensation in Tide Pod personal injury lawsuits, please contact us to schedule a free legal consultation.