Parents spend a lot of time worrying about the big dangers. Car seats. Strangers. Online safety. But a new national analysis compiled by Anidjar & Levine shows that the most serious chemical threats to young children are not dramatic or distant. They are sitting on kitchen counters, tucked into bathroom drawers, stored under sinks, and scattered throughout homes in ways most adults barely notice.
The study pulls together data from Poison Control Centers, emergency departments, federal health agencies, and academic research to reveal a clear pattern. Children are being exposed to dangerous chemicals at rates that should concern every parent, regardless of where they live or how careful they believe they are. The numbers show that the problem is not about rare accidents. It is about everyday products that are easy for children to reach and hard for adults to fully control.
Below is a breakdown of the most important findings, presented in a way that helps families understand what is happening and why it matters.
Poison Control Centers: More Than 800,000 Young Children Exposed in 2023
In 2023, Poison Control Centers across the United States handled nearly 2.1 million human exposure cases. Children aged 0 to 5 accounted for 40 percent of all calls. That means more than 800,000 young children were involved in chemical exposure incidents in a single year.
Most of these exposures involved products that parents use every day. Medications, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, and supplements were among the most common sources. The data shows that even well‑organized homes contain dozens of items that can cause harm if a toddler gets hold of them for just a few seconds.
Child Fatalities Are Rising Again
For decades, child deaths from chemical exposure had been declining. But the trend has reversed.
Pediatric Fatalities Due to Chemical Exposure (2019 to 2023)
2019: 34 deaths 2020: 43 deaths 2021: 59 deaths 2022: 97 deaths 2023: 90 deaths
The fatality rate in 2023 reached 4.87 deaths per million children, the highest level in more than 30 years.
One of the most troubling findings is the rise in deaths linked to narcotics and psychodysleptics. Fatalities classified under ICD‑10 code X42 doubled from 33 in 2021 to 66 in 2023. These cases often involve substances that were never meant to be anywhere near children.
The Most Dangerous Products Are Already in the Home
Between 2019 and 2024, the leading cause of child deaths reported to Poison Control Centers was analgesic pain medications.
Top Causes of Child Death Due to Chemicals
• Analgesics: 81 fatal cases (23.9 percent) • Fumes, gases, vapors: 47 cases (13.4 percent) • Stimulants and street drugs: 24 cases (7.1 percent) • Batteries: 22 cases (6.5 percent) • Unknown drugs: 19 cases (5.6 percent)
These numbers show that the most dangerous items are not exotic chemicals. They are products that adults use daily and often assume are harmless when stored out of sight.
Children Carry Dozens of Chemicals in Their Bodies
One of the most eye‑opening parts of the study comes from UC Davis Health. Researchers analyzed urine samples from 201 children across four states between 2010 and 2021. They tested for 111 chemicals.
Key Findings
• 96 chemicals were found in at least five children • 48 chemicals were found in more than half of the children • 34 chemicals were found in more than 90 percent of children • 9 chemicals detected are not tracked in national health surveys
These chemicals came from food packaging, dust, air, plastics, and personal care products. Many are known to affect hormones, development, or long‑term health.
The study also found that two‑year‑olds often had higher chemical levels than three‑ or four‑year‑olds. This reflects how quickly toddlers explore their environment and how easily they can ingest or absorb substances adults barely notice.
Emergency Departments Treated 67,000 Young Children for Chemical Poisoning in 2023
The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System recorded 67,000 emergency department visits for chemical poisoning among children under five in 2023. That followed 68,600 in 2022 and 62,600 in 2021.
Where These Incidents Occurred
• 72 percent happened at home • 26 percent occurred at unknown locations • 2 percent occurred in public places like streets, daycares, and parks
Most children were treated and released, but 13 percent required hospital admission or transfer.
Ages of Children Treated in 2023
• Under 1 year: 6 percent • Age 1: 36 percent • Age 2: 29 percent • Age 3: 18 percent • Age 4: 11 percent
Boys accounted for 54 percent of cases.
The Products Most Often Sending Children to the ER
The study identifies the ten products most frequently involved in pediatric chemical poisoning cases treated in emergency departments.
Top 10 Products
• Blood pressure medications: 5,800 cases • Dietary supplements: 5,200 cases • Acetaminophen: 4,900 cases • Bleach: 3,600 cases • Antidepressants: 2,800 cases • Ibuprofen: 2,400 cases • Illegal drugs: 1,900 cases • ADD medications: 1,800 cases • Unknown substances: 2,400 cases • Laundry packets: data not available
These numbers show that medications remain one of the biggest risks, even when stored in child‑resistant containers.
Fentanyl Exposure Has Skyrocketed
One of the most alarming trends is the rise in fentanyl exposure among young children.
Fentanyl Exposure in Children Under 6
• 2016: 10 cases • 2020: 120 cases • 2023: 539 cases
This represents a 349 percent increase in three years and a 5,290 percent increase since 2016. More than 80 percent of these exposures occurred in the child’s home.
Which States See the Most Poisoning Calls?
Between 2020 and 2025, children aged 0 to 5 were involved in 436,444 poison control cases nationwide.
States With the Most Calls
• Texas: 39,442 • California: 34,037 • Florida: 18,897 • Ohio: 18,466 • Pennsylvania: 17,576 • New York: 16,830 • North Carolina: 15,316 • Illinois: 14,592 • Michigan: 14,419 • Georgia: 13,884
States With the Fewest Calls
• District of Columbia: 697 • Vermont: 977 • Rhode Island: 1,098 • Delaware: 1,370 • Alaska: 1,538 • Wyoming: 1,539 • North Dakota: 1,595 • South Dakota: 1,602 • Hawaii: 1,672 • Montana: 2,040
How Children Are Being Exposed
The study identifies the most common routes of exposure for children aged 0 to 5.
Top Exposure Pathways (2020 to 2025)
• Mouth: 3,485 incidents • Mouth and skin: 138 • Eye: 122 • Mouth, eye, and skin: 49 • Inhalation: 17 • Mouth, eye, skin, inhalation: 16 • Mouth and eye: 14 • Mouth and inhalation: 11 • Injection: 9 • Skin only: 8
Toddlers explore the world with their mouths, which is why oral exposure dominates the data.
A Wake‑Up Call for Families
The study compiled by Anidjar & Levine makes one thing clear. Chemical exposure is not a rare event. It is a daily risk shaped by the products families use, the way homes are organized, and the sheer speed at which toddlers move.
The COVID‑19 pandemic intensified the issue. During the first three months of 2020, Poison Control Centers recorded 45,550 cleaner and disinfectant exposure calls, a 20 percent increase from the previous year.
With nearly 100 child deaths per year and tens of thousands of emergency department visits, the data shows that families need better information, safer product design, and clearer labeling. The risks are real, but they are also preventable.
