Nunavut government warns parents, caregivers about laundry pods

The GN is warning parents and caregivers about laundry pods, which a number of children in the territory have ingested. (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)

The Government of Nunavut’s health department is asking parents and caregivers to keep laundry detergent pods away from children and infants.

That’s after the department says it received a number of reports of children ingesting the pods — soft, gel-covered balls that contain concentrated soap and dissolve in water.

In an Oct. 6 release, the GN said children are attracted to the pods because they look, feel and even smell like candy.

Last year, Health Canada put out its own safety advisory, pointing to the hazards the pods can cause to young children who eat them.

The detergent pods contain “powerful cleaning products that may contain ingredients which can lead to harmful health effects upon ingestion.

Children who swallow the detergent packs may experience a variety of serious symptoms, including severe abdominal pain, vomiting, or breathing difficulty,” says Health Canada’s 2013 advisory.

Health Canada said it is working with the Canadian Association of Poison Control Centres to gather information on incidents that may have been reported to provincial poison centres to compile an ongoing review of those products.

The GN advises parents and caregiver to keep laundry detergents and household cleaning products in cabinets with child-proof latches or locks.

Caregivers who suspect their child has bitten into, or swallowed, a detergent pod should call their local health centre immediately.