A Louth mother is hoping detergent manufacturers will make their liquitabs less attractive to children after her baby girl became seriously ill when she tried to eat one.

Three weeks ago 17-month-old toddler Jenny Maher, from just outside of Drogheda, was playing in the kitchen of her house when she managed to get a liquitab for washing clothes out of a cupboard before biting into it.

The child's mother Sarah Maher saw it happen but could not get to her daughter fast enough. In the seconds it took her to grab hold of the tablet, Jenny had pierced the plastic coating and the detergent had squirted into her mouth. 

The concerned mother decided to attend Lady of Lourdes Hospital for assessment after her daughter began vomiting, despite wiping the liquid from the toddler's mouth.

While en route to the hospital Jenny developed breathing difficulties and started to make strange noises.

She was given immediate attention when she arrived at the hospital, but medics had to put her in an induced coma, so that the severe swelling in her airways could reduce.

The 17-month-old was later transferred to intensive care at Temple Street Children's Hospital and kept sedated for a week.

While Jenny's reaction was severe and her parents say they don't blame the manufacturers, the Mahers have agreed to work alongside the company to identify any future safety risks. 

The liquitab that Jenny ingested was pink, and doctors felt the child might have mistaken it for a sweet.

Ms Maher told Newstalk's Pat Kenny, she hopes packaging can be redesigned.

Meanwhile, Jenny has made a full recovery from her ordeal.