A new report should serves as a reminder for parents to lock-up household cleaners, according to a UW poison control expert.
A recent study published in the Journal Pediatrics found nearly 40-percent of household cleaning product poisonings and injuries in children under five are related to chemicals stored in spray bottles. The report was based on cases reported between 1990 and 2006.
Donna Lotzer with UW Health Poison Control says the findings should not be a surprise for anyone who has worked in an emergency room or poison center, since spray containers can be quite dangerous. She says the tops can usually be unscrewed easily and there’s also a risk of chemicals being sprayed in a child’s eyes.
Lotzer says part of the problem is a lack of child-proof safety features on most spray bottles. She says parents need to store those products in a locked location, and never leave them unattended when being used around small children.
Parents might also want to re-think letting young children play with spray bottles because they often can’t tell the difference between a harsh cleaner and the water that was in a similar bottle the day before.
Lotzer says experts are available to help respond to suspected poisonings at 1-800-222-1222.