Researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy and Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital have found more than an estimated 8,000 visits to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) associated with water beads from 2007 through 2022, and the number of these visits increased rapidly by more than 130% from 2021 to 2022.
In a study published in , researchers analyzed 16 years of data and call for a more comprehensive regulatory approach to prevent water bead-associated injuries. The increase in ED visits occurred despite product recalls and the current voluntary toy safety standard, indicating that current prevention strategies are not sufficient. Water beads are made from superabsorbent material that can swell to hundreds of times their original size when exposed to fluids.
They are commonly sold as child sensory products, gel projectiles for toy "gel blaster" guns, and decorations. If swallowed, they can expand in the gastrointestinal tract and cause intestinal blockage and even death. They can also cause injury if placed in the ear canal or nose.
According to the study, there were an estimated 8,159 visits to U.S. emergency departments from 2007 through 2022 involving water beads among people younger than 20 years.
More than half (55%) of cases involved children younger than 5 years. Most emergency department visits in this study involved children swallowing water beads (46%), followed by putting water beads in the ear (33%) or nose (12%). Eye injurie.