beth@gymble.UUCP (Beth Katz) (08/31/85)
Someone recently asked about a problem with shampooed carpets and toddlers. I knew I had read an article about it. In the September issue of Better Homes and Gardens (not a renowned source of health information, but the report was investigated by the Centers for Disease Control), I found it. (For reference purposes, I'm not a parent. I just read a lot, watch TV, and work on my dissertation.) I shortened the text by about a third. The bottom line begins with UNTIL. From p. 42 of Better Homes and Gardens, Vol. 63, No. 9 All right reserved (but I'm in favor of sharing this info.) "Few people are familiar with Kawasaki syndrome, but parents of young children should be aware of it. Children under 5 are primarily affected, although it has been known to strike older children and adults. ... Symptoms include a distinctive eye inflammation, enlarged lymph nodes, swelling of the mucous membranes, rash, fever for five or more days, and a redness or swelling of the palms and soles, after which skin may peel, particularly from the fingers. About 15-20 percent of children with the syndrome suffer cardiac damage, so researchers are recommending long-term followup. Fortunately, the mortality rate is low. ... The CDC, in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Health and the Pediatric Department of the University of Colorado, investigated an outbreak of 23 cases in the Denver area. They discovered that in 11 of the cases, the rugs in the children's homes had been shampooed within 30 days prior to the onset of the disease. Ten of these children played on the carpets less than two hours after shampooing. The investigators did not suspect the cleaning chemicals (a wide variety of products was used); rather, they thought that the shampooing process somehow might contribute to the growth of some type of microorganism. Studies are still being conducted concerning Kawasaki syndrome and exposure to shampooed carpets. UNTIL more is known about the disease, the CDC recommends keeping young children away from freshly shampooed carpets until the carpets are completely dry."