Water beads can be fatal for children: Health Canada

Water beads are shown (CNW Group/Health Canada)

Health Canada has issued a notice about water beads, warning parents and caregivers about the life-threatening risks of these tiny beads to young children.

Health Canada says water beads, which are also known as jelly beads, hydro orbs, crystal soil, sensory beads, or orb beads, are water-absorbing gel beads that can grow up to 1,500 times their size when placed in water.

“Water beads can be found in a wide range of products that may be accessible to children, such as toys, art kits, stress balls, foot baths, vase fillers, and gardening products. They are also sold in their dehydrated form in individual containers. They may be promoted to parents and caregivers of young children, specifically for use in sensory bins,” Health Canada said in a release.

The health agency says parents should make sure their children never swallow or put water beads in their ears or nose because they can be “very harmful” and may cause life-threatening injuries such as intestinal or bowel obstruction.

According to the health agency, there are some reported cases of children mistakenly swallowing water beads, mistaking them for candy, as they are typically brightly coloured.

Health Canada has received six reports related to water beads, including three reports involving an injury, from June 2011 to January 2023. The U.S. has reported 248 water bead cases from January 2017 to November 2022.

Here are some tips for parents and caregivers, according to Health Canada

• If you suspect that your child has ingested a water bead, call the Canadian Poison Centre hot line at 1-844-POISON-X (Quebec residents call 1-800-463-5060 to reach the Centre antipoison du Quebec).

• Monitor for symptoms.

• If water beads are placed in the nose or ear, seek medical intervention.

• Water beads should always be stored in an airtight container out of sight and reach of children, especially those under the age of five.

• It is recommended that caregivers of children under five avoid having water beads in their household or classroom, even if intended for an older child or adult use.

• If using water beads with children five and up, closely supervise their play.

• After using water beads, thoroughly clean the surrounding area and clean up any beads that may have rolled away. Check under furniture, toys and in adjoining rooms for water beads that may have rolled away from their initial location.

The health agency suggests that health care professionals should immediately investigate the possibility of water beads being ingested if the patients come with no specific symptoms, as water beads are unlikely to show up on an X-ray.

According to Health Canada, vomiting, abdominal or chest pain, abdominal swelling or soreness, constipation, lethargy, drooling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or loss of appetite are the symptoms of swallowing a water bead.

Reporting for this story was paid for through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project funded by Meta.