What are water beads and where are they found?
A safety warning has been issued by emergency doctors over water beads that have become a popular gift for children - despite the fact they can lead to fatal consequences if swallowed.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) has urged parents and other adults to keep children under the age of five away from the beads, which are usually marketed as crafting tools, homeware or gardening items, and toys.
The small plastic beads, which can grow to 400 times their size when exposed to liquid, have been linked to child deaths overseas and to “serious harm” to children in the UK, the RCEM said.
If a child swallows one, they can expand in the gastrointestinal tract and cause obstruction, requiring surgical removal. If inhaled, they will require urgent removal.
Speaking to PA, Dr Salwa Malik, vice president of the RCEM, said: "Any one of these three objects could be found under your tree or in a stocking this festive season, hidden in gifts that are intended to bring joy to a child or vulnerable person, but which, if swallowed, could result in critical illness and the need for emergency medical treatment.
"As an emergency medicine doctor, I have seen parents holding their child’s hand and watching over them while they lay on a bed in an Emergency Department, in need of urgent care because they have ingested one of these items.
"As a parent, I can imagine how utterly terrifying and traumatic that would be to go through – for a mum, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, brother, sister and of course, the child themselves.
"Having seen the effects first hand, which can be devastating and detrimental, we are asking people to please think twice about the dangers these pose while selecting and gifting presents this season."
What are water beads?
Water beads are the common name for superabsorbent polymers (SAPs). They come in the form of small beads, often colourful, that measure just a few millimetres. However, they can expand to over 400 times that size in around 36 hours when exposed to water.
The product is marketed under a number of different names, including:
Orbeez
Jelly balls
Water balls
Sensory beads
Water crystals
Gel beads
Hydro orbs
Crystal soil
They are sometimes used to fill vases or to grow plants without soil temporarily. However, in sensory play, they are said to help promote hand-eye coordination, concentration and fine motor skills in young children.
In September, the Office for Product Safety and Standards issued a safety alert to warn of the risks that water beads can pose to children, advising that they should be kept away from young children under five years of age and only used with older children under close supervision.
Last year, three big US retailers stopped the sale of water beads marketed for children after government officials and medical professionals called for a ban on the toys. Amazon, Walmart and Target voluntarily took the products off their shelves following a number of reports of child injuries or deaths linked to the water beads.
Where are water beads found?
Water beads can be sold on their own under the various names listed above, but they are sometimes found within other products.
They can appear in "squishy" or "squeezy" toys to provide texture and sensory stimulation, such as stress balls. In some cases, they can also be found in gel eye masks.
They may also be found on top of or in plant soil, as gardeners may add them to soil to help keep plants hydrated. They were originally invented for this reason, but became very popular among children and social media influencers in recent years.
Watch: Big retailers move to stop sales of water beads marketed to children over safety concerns
Why are water beads dangerous?
While they are non-toxic, water beads are dangerous if swallowed because of how much they can expand beyond their original size.
If a child swallows a water bead, it can expand and cause bowel obstruction. This will require surgery to remove the water bead.
They also pose a choking hazard and have previously harmed children in the UK. Water beads are also not visible on X-rays.
Apart from the risks water beads pose to children, they can also become detrimental to the environment if flushed or washed down the drain. The beads may end up being mistaken for food by wildlife or cause blockages in the sewage system.
If expanded water beads are taking up too much space, you can shrink them down to close to their original size by letting them dry out. You should dispose of them along with normal trash if you are seeking to get rid of them.
Read more about health and wellness:
What are most dangerous Christmas presents for children? (Yahoo News UK, 7-min read)
NHS team delivers 180 gifts to children facing poverty this Christmas (Worcester News, 1-min read)
'All I want for Christmas this year is a new heart' (Bury Times, 5-min read)
