Parents warned about dishwashing powders

Parents have been warned to keep corrosive household cleaners secure after two young children were burned when they swallowed dishwashing powder.

Figures from the National Poisons Centre show 615 incidents of children swallowing household such powders between June 2002 and January this year.

The two Northland children, aged four and two, suffered extensive burns to their mouths and back of their throats.

Whangarei Hospital emergency medicine consultant Scott Cameron said most parents were unaware of dangers associated with dishwashing powders, which could contain toxic and corrosive alkaline.

The strong alkaline scarred the oesophagus and the risk of oesophageal cancer in later life was 1000 times higher for those who swallowed the harmful substance.

"Most people are quite hip to the fact that medication in their medicine cabinets is not for kids but this stuff is a lot worse than most of the medicines in their cabinets," Mr Cameron said.

"The strong alkaline eats flesh off dishes. It's got a very high pH level and causes more scarring and perforations than sulphuric acid. I don't think the average home owner is aware of the dangers."

A requirement for child resistant packaging on dishwashing powder was voluntary. Childproofing the powders should be mandatory and manufacturers needed to show some responsibility, Mr Cameron said.

The Ministry of Health has written to all manufacturers of dishwashing powder alerting them to cases of poisoning, and if they are not already doing so, urging them to package their product in child-resistant packaging that meets the New Zealand Standard on Child Resistant Packages.

However, Mr Cameron said using less corrosive ingredients in the powders was probably more important.

The Consumers Institute had urged detergent makers to change the active ingredient in their products. Enzymes and oxygen bleaches were less corrosive but just as effective as alkaline salts as a detergent and could be used to reduce the pH level of the powders.

Mr Cameron said also parents should not be lulled into a false sense of security if the powders they had in their homes were child- resistant.

"Even the caps on them are not particularly robust. They should be kept away from children."

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)