The Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued an alert to parents warning that water beads should be kept away from all children under 5.
The warning comes following action by the Office of Product Safety and Standards to remove unsafe water beads from the market. With their bright colours and squishy feel, water beads are especially appealing to young children.
When dry, water beads are tiny and can easily be swallowed without detection. As they bathe in stomach fluids, some can expand to 400 times their original size, posing a serious risk of blockage in a child’s bowel.
Water beads don’t show up on X-ray, so finding them can be really complicated and a child may need major surgery to remove them. There is also a risk of inhalation causing coughing or choking.
Read more on the Child Accident Prevention Trust website
The dangers of water beads video