- Warning about water beads
- Swelling risk in children
- Legal actions and recalls
A doctor has issued a warning that a popular children’s toy, which balloons to four times its size, can cause fatal obstructions.
Iowa emergency medicine physician Dr. Josh Trebach tweeted last week about water beads, which have become increasingly popular as a bath toy for children and are small absorbent spheres.
“Friendly reminder that water beads (a popular children’s toy) can swell by more than 400% of their initial volume,” said Dr. Trebach.
“Children who consume these may experience gastrointestinal obstructions.”
Health Risks of Water Beads
The crystals are constructed from water-absorbent materials, causing them to significantly expand. However, they absorb water within the body and swell when ingested by a child accidentally, resulting in potentially fatal blockages.
Legal Actions and Recalls
Several parents have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of these toys on behalf of their children who have suffered severe injuries or perished as a result.
Water beads are typically used to facilitate fine motor skill development and sensory play. Additionally, they are used as absorbent materials in menstrual pads, incontinence garments, and infant diapers.
According to the National Poison Control Centre, water beads can acquire fluid through ingestion, allowing them to proliferate in the intestinal tract and cause potentially fatal blockages.
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Following one infant’s fatality and another being injured, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and toy company Buffalo Games recalled over 50,000 ‘Chuckle & Roar Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kits’ sold at Target in March.
Kennedy Mitchell, a child from Maine who was injured, was admitted to the hospital after ingesting one of the beads. She experienced a potentially fatal bowel obstruction, which occurs when blood flow is severed to a portion of the intestines.
Although an initial surgical procedure was conducted to remove the water droplet, Kennedy’s intestines had already been severely damaged.
The 10-month-old infant was placed on a ventilator after developing septic sepsis. During the second operation, no additional obstructions were detected.
Two additional operations were required to relieve pressure on her organs and remove the excess fluid from her intestines.
Following this, the infant was permitted to return home.
Widespread Impact
Parents in California filed a lawsuit against the toy manufacturer Orbeez last month, alleging that at least one child perished from consuming one of their products.
Since 2017, the CPSC estimates that water particles have been the cause of approximately 4,500 emergency room visits.
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