Water Beads: They Look Like Fun, But Could Land Your Little One in Hospital
Orbeez…water beads…sensory play.
These colourful slippery little balls are so tempting to touch, and look pretty tasty too.
They're marketed for use in vases, but also sensory play for kids.
But before you buy, there are some serious considerations to be aware of.
Water beads are not only a perfect choking hazard, but have the additional injuries caused by design, as water beads are designed to absorb water, and expand, if poked into an ear or nose.
What Exactly Are Water Beads?
Water beads, sometimes called Orbeez (brand name), are tiny balls made of a super absorbent polymer.
A tiny plastic ball, the size of 100s & 1000s can soak up between 100 and 400 times their starting weight in water.
Water and other fluids make them grow. It's fun to watch, but that same ability to grow is what makes them a very real threat.
Why Water Beads Are More Than Just a Choking Hazard
Added risk to how beads cause choking:
Because water beads are squishy and conform to the shape of the throat and take up a greater length of the throat, dislodging them is harder than clearing a firm toy or food.
Expansion:
This is the main concern.
Once a water bead is swallowed, it doesn't just sit there.
It keeps absorbing fluid from the body and keeps growing.
This will cause blockages in the intestines and lead to serious problems like severe tummy pain, vomiting, dehydration, and sometimes surgery.
Ears and Noses Are Not for Beads:
Kids love pushing things into their ears and noses.
The main problem is once that bead starts absorbing moisture, it expands much bigger than its original size, bigger than throats, nasal passages and ear canals. This can cause pain, infections, damage to the eardrum, and even hearing loss.
X-Rays:
Because X-Rays are designed to detect high density structures like bone and metal, water beads don't show up well at all.
This makes it hard for doctors to detect, especially if you did not see your toddler pop one in their mouth.
So, if you didn't actually see your child swallow one, it can be hard to figure out what's wrong if they start showing symptoms.
Without early detection, this water bead ingestion injuries can escalate really quickly.
Sharp Spike in Water Bead Related Hospital Admissions
Researchers in the US have been tracking water bead-related injuries, and the numbers are going up, and fast.
Between 2007 and 2022, there were over 8,000 emergency room visits because of water beads, and more than half of those were kids under five!
In fact, there was a massive jump of over 130% in these cases just between 2021 and 2022.
That's a huge red flag, and it's something we need to take seriously here in Australia.
Environmental Hazard
While the risk to your kids is paramount, we are all pretty conscientious about the environmental impact of the things we use on a day to day basis.
Water beads are made of plastic that does not break down for a long time.
In landfill, they sit there, adding to our plastic pollution problem.
Realistically, these beads end up all over the house. On the carpet, under the couch and fridge, you name it.
These tiny dry beads will eventually end up in your child's mouth, landfill or posing the same risk to wildlife if entered into our waterways.
Keeping Aussie Kids Safe: What Can We Do?
Here are some practical tips for parents, carers, and educators:
- Supervise, Supervise, Supervise: This is the golden rule, especially with your young children.
Never leave water beads in sight or in reach. Treat water beads with the same care as you do with your medications and cleaning chemicals.
- Talk to Your Kids:
Make sure your craft loving older kidd pack away risky items including water beads, glue and other shiny tempting choking hazards carefully (check, you know what kids pack up efforts are like!)
VIP! Your older kids need to understand that water beads are not for putting in their mouths, ears, or noses.
Explain the dangers to your kids.
And make sure they know not to share them with their younger siblings and cousins
- Dispose of Them Responsibly:
Don't just toss water beads in the bin.
Crush them first to stop them from absorbing water and growing in landfill. Even better, if you can find a way to reuse them (like in a sealed sensory bottle), that's even better for the environment.
- Choose Safer Alternatives:
There are so many other ways for kids to have sensory fun!
Water play, playdough, sandpits, even dried beans or rice in a sealed container – these are all great options that don't come with the same risks as water beads.
First Aid For Choking
If they can cough strongly:
- Encourage them to keep coughing. This is the best way to clear the airway.
- Stay close and watch them. Be ready to help if their cough weakens or stops.
If they can't cough or make any sound:
- Stay calm and get someone to call Tripple Zero. Make sure you remember your address to tell the ambulance. If you are alone, please use the app Emergency Plus
- Lay your baby face down on your lap. Support their head and make sure it's lower than their bottom.
- Give up to 5 firm back blows. Use the heel of your hand to hit between their shoulder blades. Check if the object has come out after each blow.
- If that doesn't work, turn them onto their back. Keep them on your lap with their head lower than their bottom.
- Give up to 5 chest thrusts. Use two fingers for a young baby, or the heel of your hand for an older baby or toddler. Push firmly on their breastbone (not their tummy). Check after each thrust.
- Keep repeating back blows and chest thrusts until the object comes out, help arrives, or they become unconscious.
- If they become unconscious, start CPR. (See how to do CPR for a baby or child - it's important to learn this beforehand!)
Remember: This is a simplified guide. It's best to take a specialised babies and children's first aid course-I run them here in Dubbo!
REFERENCE: ANZCOR guideline 4.
Before you go!
You want your kids to have fun and explore the world. New things coming on the market to entertain and develop little ones are constant.
Please be aware, tik tok and pinterest trends are not safety approved or tested. Do your own research before jumping on the next great looking idea.
Awareness and supervision are key. Have fun and play safe this Christmas!
Where to Learn More:
- Product Safety Australia: https://www.productsafety.gov.au/consumers/play-and-exercise-safely/play-with-kids-toys-safely/toys-and-water-beads-that-expand-in-water-guide
- HealthyChildren.org: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Water-Beads-Harmful.aspx
- CPSC.gov: https://www.cpsc.gov/Safety-Education/Safety-Education-Centers/Water-Beads-Information-Center
- Nationwide Children's Hospital Study: https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/newsroom/news-releases/2024/08/waterbeads_cirp
- Poison Control: https://www.poison.org/articles/are-water-beads-toxic
Aussie Resources:
- Emergency Plus Get the app here
- Raising Children Network: https://raisingchildren.net.au/
- The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne: https://www.rch.org.au/
- Kidsafe NSW: https://kidsafensw.org/