Household cleaners may pose risk to children
Posted on 02. Aug, 2010 by Leon Kennedy in Health
According to a recent study released by the America Academy of Pediatrics, certain household cleaners, if not kept under lock, could pose a risk to young children. The study determined that between 1990 and 2006, 267,269 kids of five years of age or younger were treated for injuries related to cleaning products like laundry detergent, ammonia, or dishwasher detergent. 72 percent of these cases were children between the ages of three and one, while one-year-olds alone comprised 45.9 percent of all cases.
“These estimates most likely reflect the ubiquitous nature of household cleaning products and the ease of accessibility to children,” stated the report. “Household cleaning products are alluring to children because of their color, scent, and brightly colored packaging.” Furthermore, the study found that cleaners, when kept in spray bottles, tended to make up a larger proportion of the offending products. “The problem with a spray bottle is that the child can spray it in the face or they can also unscrew the cap and drink out of it,” said associate medical director for the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Heath Jolliff.
Jollif also warned parents against storing cleaning products in old food or drink containers, as it can confuse children in regard to the substance’s edibility.
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