HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. -- A student at Thunder Ridge High School took a bite out of a Tide Pod during school on Friday as U.S. health officials and social media companies grapple with the consequences of an online challenge that has gone viral.
A district spokesperson confirmed the incident saying the student bit into a laundry detergent pod that was brought by another student.
According to the district, the student was treated by a school nurse and is in good health. The matter has been addressed by staff at the high school.
The Tide Pod challenge is a dangerous YouTube trend where people attempt to eat the detergent-filled packets. Ingesting the pods can cause serious damage like burns to the mouth, lips and esophagus.
Rocky Mountain Poison Center has had 124 cases involving laundry detergent exposure, most involve accidental ingestion by children. Five cases involved intentional misuse like eating the packet on a dare or social media challenge. The five cases involved males only, ranging from 14 to 20 years old.
There were two additional cases that didn't quite meet the description of dare or prank.
In the first, a 13-year-old male tasted the pod "thinking it was candy," according to a friend who called the center. The other involved a 4th or 5th grader who was spotted “sucking on a pod” when another parent confiscated it from him and brought it to the principal’s office.
Anyone who ingests a detergent pod should call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
