Tuesday, 24 September 2013 - 02:04
Keep liquid caps away from children
Parents are urged to pay closer attention to their children, so they don't accidentally eat capsules with liquid detergent. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) warns that more and more children are being treated in the hospital after swallowing so-called liquid caps. Just by sucking on them may already release detergent.The NVWA studied the capsules after reports from the U.S. and Britain. Children who bite or swallow capsules often throw up or suffer from irritated eyes or mucous membranes. In the worst case, the detergent may end up in the lungs, which can cause pneumonia.
liquid caps
Au Kirk
Flickr Because of the capsules' popularity increase, the number of incidents shows the same tendency. In the first few months of last year there were only a few cases, but in June this year there were already 25 incidents reported. 2012 counted 126 incidents in total. Especially children in the age group 0-4 are attracted by the oftentimes bright-colored capsules, reports the NVWA. The NVWA recommends to flush the child's mouth with water if it swallowed detergent. Then give it something fatty to eat, like a knob of butter. This can limit damage to the mucous membranes.
Au Kirk
Flickr Because of the capsules' popularity increase, the number of incidents shows the same tendency. In the first few months of last year there were only a few cases, but in June this year there were already 25 incidents reported. 2012 counted 126 incidents in total. Especially children in the age group 0-4 are attracted by the oftentimes bright-colored capsules, reports the NVWA. The NVWA recommends to flush the child's mouth with water if it swallowed detergent. Then give it something fatty to eat, like a knob of butter. This can limit damage to the mucous membranes.
