My son swallowed the detergent! What to do in case of emergency
Dishwashing detergents, soaps, shampoos, and single-dose laundry pods can become a danger for children : the packaging is brightly colored and increasingly attractive, and the scent of certain products recalls some of the foods most loved by children, with aromas ranging from lemon to vanilla.
Ninety percent of accidents involving potentially toxic substances occur at home, and according to data from the Poison Control Center at Niguarda Hospital in Milan, more than half involve children and adolescents aged between 0 and 14.
Ingestion of detergent: the most dangerous products
In most cases, accidental ingestion of small amounts of detergent can be considered harmless. This applies to products like dish soap or laundry detergent , which contain surfactants and foaming agents but rarely contain harsh chemicals.
The sanitizing power of many household cleaning and hygiene products, however, is based on the action of highly acidic or highly basic components (i.e., with an extremely low or high pH), which are defined as caustic substances and pose very serious health risks.
Strong acids (hydrochloric acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid, and oxalic acid) are frequently found in rust removers and bathroom and toilet cleaners . Strong bases, however, such as sodium and potassium hydroxide, are quite common in dishwasher detergents and can be found in many all-purpose household cleaners.
Another danger comes from oxidizing agents, such as hypochlorites and hydrogen peroxide, which are commonly found in whitening and sanitizing products such as those containing bleach . But the most insidious danger, according to the Niguarda Hospital, which reported the matter to the Ministry of Health, is posed by single-dose detergent capsules , which resemble sweets and are particularly attractive to children.
Understanding if the child has ingested the detergent: the symptoms
Determining whether a child has ingested detergent containing irritating chemicals is not always easy, as the effects can appear even several hours after ingestion. Typically, the first symptoms are irritation of the mucous membranes and the formation of foam in the stomach. The most immediately recognizable symptoms are excessive salivation and a burning sensation in the mouth and stomach.
The child may experience abdominal and chest pain, and a deepening of the voice caused by irritation of the airways. Sore throat and stomach pain are other common symptoms of caustic ingestion. In more severe cases, retrosternal pain, vomiting, convulsions, and bleeding from the oral cavity may also appear immediately.
The most serious effects, according to CAV data, most frequently concern sulphuric acid (1,5% of cases), bleach (1,16%), ammonia and dishwasher detergents.
What to do in case of accidental ingestion of detergent?
If you suspect that a child has accidentally ingested detergent, the first thing to do is to identify the packaging of the offending product in order to give the right indications to the experts.
Here's what to do if ingested:
- locate the detergent bottle swallowed;
- call one of the Poison Control Centers active in Italy 24 hours a day, explaining what happened in as much detail as possible (the product, the quantity ingested, the time elapsed, etc.);
- follow the CAV instructions.
The things you absolutely should not do , however, are:
- cause vomiting: the situation could worsen, since detergents contain foaming substances which could be inhaled causing asphyxiation and pneumonia;
- administer milk: even milk can make the situation worse, facilitating the absorption of the chemical substance and making a certain diagnosis more difficult.
Children and detergents at home: how to prevent accidents
Everything around us is made of chemistry , and over time we have learned to exploit chemistry even at home, creating compounds capable of degreasing, sanitizing, removing stains and polishing surfaces, dishes and fabrics.
The contents of our favorite products, however, are not always risk-free, so it is important to know how to minimize the risk of serious accidents:
- read the labels of the products you purchase carefully, always preferring those based on natural oils and soaps;
- keep the packages of the most aggressive cleaning products in a closed place inaccessible to children;
- Always keep soaps and detergents in them original container, complete with label;
- as soon as they are old enough, explain to children the meaning of the danger signs on the packaging so that they are aware of the risks as early as possible.
Another very useful precaution, which can prove decisive in case of emergencies, is to keep powdered activated charcoal (which absorbs ingested chemicals) and simethicone (a drug that blocks foam production) at home.
