‘Water beads’ were associated with more than 8000 hospital admissions between 2007 and 2022. While children admitted to the emergency department (ED) due to water beads increased by more than 130%.
The study, which analysed data on paediatric ED visits, found that among these cases, 55% involved children younger than five. Most visits (46%) were due to children swallowing beads, followed by water beads in the ear (33%) or nose (12%). This is despite product recalls and current toy safety standards in place to prevent these accidents.
Water beads are made from superabsorbent material that can swell to hundreds of times their original size when exposed to fluids. They are often sold as child sensory products and decoration.
Senior author Dr Gary Smith said: ‘The current safety standard is inadequate. Serious outcomes have occurred to children younger than 18 months, and one-fifth of the water beads swallowed in this study were among children younger than 18 months.’
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