8.12.14

Pediatric exposure to laundry detergent pods.

(Las cápsulas de detergente son un producto doméstico peligroso)

Valdez ALCasavant MJSpiller HAChounthirath TXiang HSmith GA.

 2014 Dec;134(6):1127-35. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-0057. Epub 2014 Nov 10.

OBJECTIVE:

Laundry detergent pods are a new product in the US marketplace. This study investigates the epidemiologic characteristics and outcomes of laundry detergent pod exposures among young children in the United States.

METHODS:

Using data from the National Poison Data System, exposures to laundry detergent pods among children younger than 6 years of age during 2012-2013 were investigated.

RESULTS:

There were 17 230 children younger than 6 years exposed to laundry detergent pods in 2012-2013. From March 2012 to April 2013, the monthly number of exposures increased by 645.3%, followed by a 25.1% decrease from April to December 2013. Children younger than 3 years accounted for 73.5% of cases. The major route of exposure was ingestion, accounting for 79.7% of cases. Among exposed children, 4.4% were hospitalized and 7.5% experienced a moderate or major medical outcome. A spectrum of clinical effects from minor to serious was seen with ingestion and ocular exposures. There were 102 patients (0.6%) exposed to a detergent pod via ingestion, aspiration, or a combination of routes, including ingestion, who required tracheal intubation. There was 1 confirmed death.

CONCLUSIONS:

Laundry detergent pods pose a serious poisoning risk to young children. This nationwide study underscores the need for increased efforts to prevent exposure of young children to these products, which may include improvements in product packaging and labeling, development of a voluntary product safety standard, and public education. Product constituent reformulation is another potential strategy to mitigate the severity of clinical effects of laundry detergent pod exposure.

5.12.14

 Risk and Protective Factors for Falls From Furniture in Young Children: Multicenter Case-Control Study.

Kendrick D y cols. JAMA pediatr. 2014 Dec 1. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.2374. [Epub ahead of print]

Importance:

Falls from furniture are common in young children but there is little evidence on protective factors for these falls.

Objective:

To estimate associations for risk and protective factors for falls from furniture in children aged 0 to 4 years.

Design, Setting, and Participants:

Multicenter case-control study at hospitals, minor injury units, and general practices in and around 4 UK study centers. Recruitment commenced June 14, 2010, and ended April 27, 2012. Participants included 672 children with falls from furniture and 2648 control participants matched on age, sex, calendar time, and study center. Thirty-five percent of cases and 33% of control individuals agreed to participate. The mean age was 1.74 years for cases and 1.91 years for control participants. Fifty-four percent of cases and 56% of control participants were male. Exposures included safety practices, safety equipment use, and home hazards.

Main Outcomes and Measures:

Falls from furniture occurring at the child's home resulting in attendance at an emergency department, minor injury unit, or hospital admission.

Results:

Compared with parents of control participants, parents of cases were significantly more likely not to use safety gates in the home (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.65; 95% CI, 1.29-2.12) and not to have taught their children rules about climbing on kitchen objects (AOR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.16-2.15). Cases aged 0 to 12 months were significantly more likely to have been left on raised surfaces (AOR, 5.62; 95% CI, 3.62-8.72), had their diapers changed on raised surfaces (AOR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.24-2.88), and been put in car/bouncing seats on raised surfaces (AOR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.29-3.27). Cases 3 years and older were significantly more likely to have played or climbed on furniture (AOR, 9.25; 95% CI, 1.22-70.07). Cases were significantly less likely to have played or climbed on garden furniture (AOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.97).

Conclusions and Relevance:

If estimated associations are causal, some falls from furniture may be prevented by incorporating advice into child health contacts, personal child health records, and home safety assessments about use of safety gates; not leaving children, changing diapers, or putting children in car/bouncing seats on raised surfaces; allowing children to play or climb on furniture; and teaching children safety rules about climbing on objects.