They are colorful and they look just like candy or toys. Laundry pods or dishwashing detergent pods that look like toys or candy have been ingested by children and can make them horribly sick.  As of today, almost 10,000 children age 5 and younger ingested these pods, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers. The pods are about one square inch in size and feel squishy. Coupled with their bright colors and squishy feel, they are very tempting to children. When children consume them, the effects are worse than traditional liquid or powder detergents. It is happening more and more and children are getting much sicker.
The pods may have powder or concentrated liquid inside them; it’s the concentrated liquid ones that have caused the most severe illness in children. There have been cases where children become so ill they need to be hospitalized and sometimes put on a ventilator
Symptoms of laundry & dishwasher pod ingestion may include:
Excessive vomiting
Wheezing and gasping
Extreme lethargy (sleepiness)
Severe eye or throat irritation
What you can do to prevent laundry and dishwasher detergent poisonings:
1.  Keep laundry and dishwasher detergent out of sight and reach, and don’t leave children unattended with it.
2.  Even if it’s in a child-resistant container, make sure to store these products up high, out of a child’s reach and sight.
If you think your child may have consumed laundry or dishwasher detergent or rubbed it in their eyes, call 1.800.222.1222 right away, even if there are no symptoms. This toll-free number works anywhere in the country. If possible, bring the container to the phone with you.
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