MONDAY, Dec. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Injuries to U.S. children
from consuming caustic chemicals -- like those in some drain
cleaners and cleaning products -- have dropped sharply, a new
report finds. However, while efforts to improve the safety of
household cleaners seem to be paying off, hundreds of children
are still injured each year, and their care costs millions of
dollars, the researchers added. "The legislation that's been
enacted has been successful, and we've definitely seen a
decrease in the number of injuries that occur, particularly the
ones that require admission. But there's still a significant
economic and hospital burden," said report co-author Dr. Matthew
Brigger, chief of pediatric otolaryngology at the Naval Medical
Center in San Diego. Caustic chemicals give scrubbing power to a
variety of household products, such as certain kitchen cleaners,
drain cleaners, oven cleaners, toilet-bowl cleaners and powdered
dishwasher detergent. They're also found in hair-relaxing
products. The problem is th