Poison control warns parents about little toys that appear innocent but can gravely injure their children.
As reported on NewsCenter 7 at 6, poison control centers across the country are alerting parents about “water beads.”
They are little toys that grow when immersed in water and, if consumed, can badly harm children.
The Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital reported that calls about water beads have tripled in Ohio over the previous four years.
Since 2021, they’ve received over 300 calls due to the little toy.
Our sister station, WSB-TV in Atlanta, interviewed doctors who had to treat youngsters who had ingested water beads.
“They don’t look particularly impressive. Dr. Gaylord Lopez, Director of the Georgia Poison Center, told WSB that these appear like sweets and can grow to the size of a racquetball.
Last Monday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a notice regarding the potential risks of water beads.
In recent years, the agency documented roughly 8,000 hospitalizations for children and one fatality.
“Over eighty percent of the calls to us involve children under the age of six,” Lopez stated in a statement.
Lopez advised parents with young children not to have water beads in their homes.
Last month, several major retailers, including Walmart and Target, ceased selling water beads.