Referral of pediatric laundry detergent pack exposure reported to poison centers

Concentrated laundry detergent packs are new products that may be more likely to cause adverse effects and serious medical outcomes among young children than traditional laundry detergent products.

The intent of this study was to examine whether certain factors might be associated with the referral of pediatric laundry detergent pack exposures by poison centers.

Cases were laundry detergent pack exposures involving patients age 5 years or younger reported to Texas poison centers during February 2012 to August 2013. The health care facility referral rate was calculated for selected factors.

Of 912 exposures, 720 were managed on site and 192 were referred to a health care facility. The referral rate was 16.1% for patients with not serious outcomes and 71.6% for serious outcomes. The referral rate was 32.0% for patients age younger than 1 year and 14.3% to 22.1% for the older age groups. 31.0% of Purex(TM), 25.5% of All(TM), and 19.3% of Tide(TM) product exposures were referred. The referral rate was 33.3% for ocular exposures, 19.4% for dermal contact, and 20.2% for ingestions. The most common clinical effects and their referral rates were vomiting (30.5%), cough or choke (45.1%), ocular irritation (34.6%), red eye (25.4%), nausea (25.4%), drowsiness or lethargy (67.5%), oral irritation (16.7%), and dermal edema (68.4%).

Pediatric exposures to laundry detergent packs were more likely to be referred to health care facilities if the laundry detergent pack brand was Purex(TM), the exposure was ocular, or particular ocular, respiratory, dermal, or neurologic clinical effects were present.