Child accidents involving cleaning and cosmetic products

Accidents involving household maintenance products and cosmetic products are only second to medication poisoning as the most common

reason for consultations on child poisoning provided by the Toxicological Information Center (TIS) in Prague (1,677 accidents in the year 2012).

These intoxications tend to be accidental and are particularly associated with the period of toddlerhood.

The majority of consultations with the TIS are for ingestion of a foreign substance, rarely for spills or chemical splash in the eye. Child

accidents typically involve exposure to a small amount of a cleaning or washing product. The child is not at risk of systemic symptoms,

but of developing damage to the gastrointestinal mucosa. The risk level is determined by the proportion of irritants or corrosives contained

in the product. In the case of foamy products containing surface active agents, there is a risk of foam aspiration during vomiting.

Ingestion of cosmetic products containing alcohol may result in systemic effects depending on the proportion of alcohol in the particular

product, the amount of the product ingested, and the weight and age of the child affected. These situations are uncommon in the practice.

Accidents with alcohol-free cosmetic products usually go without consequences; however, digestive problems after ingesting larger

quantities (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain) cannot be excluded. Ingestion of products with solvents (nail polish and nail polish

remover) does not generally require treatment, given the very small amounts ingested.

Keywords: irritants and corrosives, detergents, washing gel capsules, cosmetics, alcohol