Injuries to young children caused by cleaning products have been cut in half since 1990, but about 12,000 kids under age six still head to the emergency room every year because of accidental poisonings from the products, according to a new study.
Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, analyzed national data on approximately 267,000 children under age six treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to cleaning products between 1990 and 2006. They found that 72 percent of the injuries occurred in children between one and three years of age.
They also noted that bleach was associated with 37.1 percent percent of injuries. Most cases resulted from swallowing the products, and spray bottles were the most common type of container involved. Injuries included burns to the skin and eyes.
“So many household products are sold in spray bottles these days, because for cleaning purposes they’re really easy to use,” said study author Lara B. McKenzie told HealthDay. “But spray bottles don’t generally come with child-resistant closures, so it’s really easy for a child to just squeeze the trigger.”
McKenzie also said that for children who can’t read, the labels on cleaning products can resemble labels on food products–from sports drinks to cans of Parmesan cheese.
To prevent injuries, The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents lock poisonous substances in cabinets, buy products with child-resistant packaging and store products in their original containers.
The findings were published online Monday, and will appear in print in the September issue of Pediatrics.
