National Poison Control Center says, if water beads are swallowed, they can expand in the body and cause life-threatening intestinal blockage.
Following a 10-month-old baby being sent to the hospital after ingesting the toy, Target has removed a children's toy from its shelves. A Chuckle & Roar toy that contains water beads has been taken off Target's shelves. The little gel balls are frequently seen in sensory packages, which are well-liked by kids with autism. For her autistic kid, age 8, mom Folichia Mitchell told Good Morning America that she purchased a water beads exercise package. Kennedy, her younger daughter, started throwing up shortly after and became sluggish. She had ingested one of the beads, the medical staff at the hospital discovered.
The mother from Berwick, Maine, claimed to have purchased the item in October at a nearby Target. Kennedy has had three procedures to remove the bead and address her complications since being admitted to the hospital on November 1. According to Mitchell, her daughter might not live. Since then, Target has opted not to carry the item anymore. Target sent a statement to CBS News saying, "We're aware of this tragic situation and send our heartfelt sympathy to this child and her family. "Target requires our vendors to comply with all product safety standards, and all state, federal and local laws. We have removed the product from stores and Target.com while we review the situation with the vendor."
why are people just now figuring out that water beads are dangerous to ingest?
— dani 🐞 (@Dani__Bug) November 12, 2022
The National Poison Control Center warns that ingesting a water bead can result in intestinal damage that is potentially fatal. The majority of the superabsorbent polymers used to make the beads are synthetic and derived from petroleum, polyacrylate, and other acrylics. Polymers, which are large chains of molecules created through chemical reactions, are able to absorb a lot of water without dissolving, which allows them to expand. Many kids who swallowed the beads needed emergency care, including a 2-year-old girl who ingested roughly 100 tiny water beads that grew to the size of marbles. In the emergency department, the kid distributed the beads around. A water-absorbing ball that could expand to the size of a racquetball had been ingested by another youngster. It was removed surgically from the youngster.
⚠️⚠️Plz share this very important message…. Plz, plz, Do Not Buy Water Beads if you have small children or babies in your home! Here is a few links. https://t.co/3hits54nJj https://t.co/WUz6JT6GW7 @cWaterbeads @Target @Walmart @waterbeadsca why do u still sale these? pic.twitter.com/qtUUDwHrdG
— Melissa Sharp (@Melissalitetalk) November 18, 2022
Mitchell's lawyer, Thomas Bosworth, told GMA that he thinks there is "no good reason" for items containing water beads to be on shop shelves because of how dangerous they may be for kids. Mitchell adds that Kennedy is now breathing on her own after being first put on a ventilator and is no longer in the intensive care unit. He stated that saying anything to be a choking hazard is "not enough". There is a difference between choking on anything and having your child nearly die after ingesting a bead that's this big. She said that neither the timing nor the potential severity of Kennedy's injuries was known. By sharing her family's experience, Mitchell said she hopes to help other parents learn the same lesson she has: Always do your own research before bringing a toy into their home. "Regardless of what a product is going to visually tell me as a warning, I'm never, ever going to trust that," said Mitchell.
References:
https://www.poison.org/articles/are-water-beads-toxic
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chuckle-and-roar-water-bead-target-kennedy-mitchell-hospitalized/
Cover Image Source: Youtube / Good Morning America
