Water Beads Linked to Increasing Number of Child Injuries: Study

Expanding gel water beads pose an increasing threat to children, who may suffer severe intestinal injuries after swallowing them. However a new study has identified a potential treatment option to help prevent long-term damage.

Water beads are small spheres composed of super-absorbent polymer, which can grow up to 400 times the original size when they come into contact with liquid. They are often soft and brightly colored, making them attractive to young children, who can suffer devastating injuries when the beads are swallowed, potentially leading to choking, asphyxiation or intestinal obstructions.

Cases of water bead injuries have increased dramatically over the past decade, often requiring  doctors to perform emergency surgery to remove the beads from the intestinal tract.

Since 2016, more than 8,000 children have been treated in emergency rooms for injuries linked to water beads, and some children have died.

The majority of water bead injuries have occurred among children younger than 14 months old, according to new research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2024 national conference, which was held from September 27 through October 1. However, researchers indicated that an experimental treatment involving the bowel prep liquid GoLYTELY, could potentially reduce the size of the beads and help children pass them without severe injuries.

In the new study, researchers from Penn State Health, led by Dr. Alicia Green, conducted a review of water bead injury cases and an experiment to determine ways to avoid surgery in water bead ingestion cases.

The injury data included 88 patients who suffered bowel obstruction after swallowing water beads. Most cases were among children under 14 months old. The most common symptoms were vomiting and abdominal distention, where the stomach gets larger than normal.

X-rays were done in 75% of the cases, but only about 5% could visualize the beads. Ultrasounds were more effective in detecting the beads in 86% of cases.

More than 84% of children needed surgery after swallowing beads, and one child died. Many children needed additional surgeries after the first to remove beads missed during the initial procedure.

For the experiment, researchers grew beads to different sizes and tested different child-safe liquids to see which ones could shrink the beads after they expanded.

Some liquids like GoLYTELY, a laxative solution used to prepare for colonoscopy exams, worked best to shrink the beads. Compared to gastrografin, prune juice and acetylcysteine, GoLYTELY was able to shrink the beads by more than 38% within 12 hours.

However, these findings are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Green’s team said it is important to educate consumers about the dangers of water beads and raise awareness of the risks. They also said more research is needed to find non-surgical treatments for removing swallowed water beads and develop guidelines for treating children who swallow the beads.

Water Bead Risks Being Addressed by Government

The information shared with the American Academy of Pediatrics comes as the U.S. government increases efforts to protect children from water bead risks.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a warning to consumers to stop using water beads due to the ingestion risks. The agency also warned that many brands of water beads contain acrylamide in high levels. Acrylamide is a cancer-causing agent that can seriously affect the immune system.

U.S. Senators also introduced new legislation to ban water bead toys in May 2024, but the final rule has not been passed. Despite expanded water bead recalls, the beads are still widely sold as part of home decorations, gardening supplies and craft materials.