New study highlights rising injuries from cleaning products in young children

Researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Center for Injury Research and Policy found that from 2007 to 2022, there were an estimated 240,800 more visits to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) associated with household cleaning product-related injuries for children five years of age and younger. That’s an injury every 35 minutes. Of all household cleaning products, bleach and detergent were the most common product types associated with these injuries.

In a study published today in hair therapy, The researchers analyzed 16 years of data and called for stronger product packaging standards, with an emphasis on ensuring that spray bottles and other commonly accessible containers meet child-resistant packaging requirements.

Since their previous paper on household cleaning product-related injuries 19 years ago, new cleaning products have entered the consumer market, notably single-use laundry and dish detergent packets, which were introduced in 2012. These packets were rapidly identified as the primary threat to children.

Detergent packets were the main source of injuries to children in this study, accounting for 33% of injuries. The rate of injuries associated with the packets increased rapidly after their introduction in 2012, peaked in 2015 and then declined through 2022.

The decline after 2015 may be due to the implementation of safety measures, including child-resistant and opaque containers and delayed-dissolving, bitter-tasting packet films. “Although the rates of packet-related injuries have declined, they remain the leading cause of overall detergent injury rates in 2022.”

Rebecca McAdams, MPH, chief research associate at the Center for Injury Research and Policy, and lead author of the study

Children ages 1–2 were at the highest risk for household cleaning product-related injuries. “This increased vulnerability is likely due to developmental factors,” McAdams said. “Young children explore their world by putting things in their mouths, but they may not read labels or recognize the potential danger of these products.”

The second change since their previous paper is that we now better understand children’s ability to operate delivery systems such as spray bottles. “Our previous analysis identified spray bottles as the primary source of household cleaning product-related injuries to young children from 1990-2006, likely due to their availability in homes and ease of use,” said Lara McKenzie, PhD, the study’s principal investigator and senior author of the Center for Injury Research and Policy. During that time, the number of injuries associated with spray bottles remained constant while the number of injuries associated with other storage sources such as kitchenware or bottles and containers decreased.

In this study, spray bottles remained a significant source of injury to children, accounting for 28% of all injuries. The most common injuries caused by products in spray bottles are to the eyes. Spray bottle-related injuries often result from chemical burns, poisoning, or dermatitis and conjunctivitis. About one-quarter of these injuries occurred when someone else sprayed the product on the child.

Across all product types, the most common way children were injured was by ingesting the product. Poisoning was the most common diagnosis, and almost all poisonings resulted from ingestion of a product. The hospitalization rate was much higher: 7%, which increased from 5.5% in the previous study.

Overall, bleach and detergent were the most common product types involved in these injuries. The rate of bleach-related injuries remained stable, but high, over time. Bleach was often packaged in spray bottles, while detergent was often distributed in packet form.

Parents and caregivers can help children stay safe by following these tips:

• Store safely. Keep household cleaning products and detergents out of the sight of small children, preferably in a locked cabinet. Close containers and remove all cleaning materials and any chemicals immediately after each use.
• Be original. Keep all household cleaning products and detergents in their original containers. When purchasing products, look for child-resistant containers for an added layer of protection.
• Save National Poison Helpline Number (1-800-222-1222) in your cellphone and post it near your home phone. If you think your child has come into contact with a household cleaning product or other dangerous product, call immediately. You do not need to wait for symptoms to develop to call.

Data for this study were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database, which is maintained by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The NEISS database provides information on consumer product-related and sports- and entertainment-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments across the country.