Expert Warns Parents Against Deadly Risks of Water Beads to Children

A poisons expert has warned parents of the potentially deadly risks of water beads or ‘jelly’ beads to children.

Dr Rose Cairns, a poisons specialist at the NSW Poisons Information Centre at Westmead Children’s Hospital said that the water-absorbing beads could lead to serious complications and even death.

She said that if swallowed by a child, the beads could cause an obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract.

The water or ‘jelly’ beads are increasingly marketed as toys and learning aids for children with autism. These are made from super absorbent polymer, and can swell to 400 times their original size when immersed in water.

The water beads have already claimed the life of a six-month-old child overseas after developing sepsis after surgery to remove a water bead obstructing the jejunum, which is the second part of the small intestine.

In a report published in the Medical Journal of Australia, there were 129 incidents involving children aged 0-14 that were reported to the NSW Poisons Centre (NSWPIC) between 2004 and June 2016. The majority of these cases or 87 percent, happened in the past three years.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission urged companies not to market water beads as toys. They have also alerted consumers to the risks of the said toy, yet, water beads continue to be sold as “fairy eggs”, “jelly beads”, and “hydro orbs” on toy shelves.

Dr Cairns and her co-authors say parents should be aware of the risks associated with these products, and if their child swallows a water bead, they should be immediately have their child assessed by a hospital doctor. “Any patient who has ingested a water bead and has gastrointestinal symptoms should be assessed for potential obstruction,” they wrote.

Source: 9news.com.au