Doctors issue warning over water bead Christmas gifts for children
Emergency doctors in the UK have issued a safety warning about water beads that can be given to children as Christmas gifts.
Also known as jelly balls, sensory beads or crystals, these beads are marketed as hand tools and household items, as well as toys.
They are usually only a few millimeters, but some can expand to 400 times their original size within about 36 hours of contact with liquid, posing a hidden danger. If swallowed by a child, it can cause intestinal obstruction, which can be fatal.
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) recommends that beads should be kept away from children under five.
The ‘safety flashes’ are for doctors to ensure they know what to look out for while on duty, but the academy also wants parents and carers to be aware of the dangers.
The beads are not visible on X-rays.
They can also cause suffocation and harm children in the UK and there are reports they are linked to deaths overseas, the government’s the Office of Product Safety and Standards said in September.
Its safety warning adds that the beads should only be used by older children or vulnerable adults under close supervision.
RCEM advises parents and caregivers to seek immediate medical attention if they suspect their child has swallowed water droplets.
“Having seen firsthand how devastating and harmful these impacts can be, we ask people to think twice before choosing and giving gifts this season,” RCEM Vice President Dr Salwa Malik told PA Media.
The RCEM alert also highlights the potential dangers of children and vulnerable adults ingesting button batteries, button batteries and magnets.
