These laundry pods (right) may look like candy or toys, however, kids can get very sick if they eat them.
Health officials are warning parents to keep laundry detergent pods away from children as instances of poisonings have surged.
In Minnesota, a 13-month-old girl, Zoe, spent a week in an intensive care unit after swallowing a blue detergent pod that she thought was a blueberry, KMSP reports.
The packet made the girl vomit and it burned her airway.
“All I wanted to do is take the pain away from her,” her mother, Ellen Mishler, told KMSP.
The state says no deaths have been reported, however, the previous month set a record with 50 cases of children being poisoned from the pods, with burns to the throat and stomach. Minnesota has seen 108 cases total this year through August 1.
The packet that Zoe swallowed came from a Sam’s Club Member’s Mark container.
"Sam’s Club takes consumer safety seriously… we've added safety and cautionary language… and transitioned from transparent opaque pouches and tubs," the company said in a statement.