A warning has been issued by The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) regarding the safety of children and young adults in relation to the risks posed by water beads.
Recently, unsafe products have been removed from the market with the Government body advising that the items should be kept away from young children, under 5s, and only used by older children or vulnerable adults under supervision.
It is advised that, if in a household or classroom, they should be kept out of reach from children who may be likely to swallow them.
The beads can expand up to 400 times their original size when submerged in water. They are marketed for different purposes including as toys, floristry, crafting and as home décor.
They are also known as jelly balls, water balls, sensory beads or water crystals. If swallowed, water beads can expand and block the gastrointestinal passage which can then require surgery. They can also cause choking and have been known to harm children in the UK.
Signs that indicate accidental indigestion include vomiting, stomach pain and difficulty breathing. However, symptoms may only begin to show hours if not days after ingestion.
They have also been linked to deaths overseas as they are difficult to detect and do not show up in an x-ray. If swallowed, medical assistance should be sought immediately.
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