Around this time each year, we hear from parents and carers asking us about the safety of water beads for sensory play.
Waterbeads are not safe for sensory play
Water beads are commonly used as a popular sensory play toy – but did you know that the ACCC has urged businesses to stop selling water beads as sensory activity toys for children?
A water bead injury, consumer product injury, can happen to children of all ages. Ashley Haugen, the founder of That Water Bead Lady, never imagined that in 2017, after gifting water beads to their eldest daughter for her sixth birthday, their family’s life would never be the same.
Their eldest daughter used the beads under adult supervision and their one year old baby, Kipley, wasn’t allowed to play with the beads. But, over the course of a few weeks, unbeknownst, the water beads collected inside of their baby’s gastrointestinal tract.
Kipley was not only severely injured by the water beads, discovered during emergency exploratory surgery, she was poisoned.
Medically, emotionally, and financially Kipley’s brain injury, toxic brain encephalopathy, has forever altered the trajectory of their family’s life.
That Water Bead Lady was founded to educate healthcare professionals, the general public, schools, and parents about the dangers of water beads, mislabeled products, toxins in toys, and the significance of clinicians and parents reporting consumer product injuries and concerns.
You can view the site for more information, and more on Kipley’s story here.
Another important consideration is that water beads can expand to 400 times their original size when they come into contact with liquid – and look extremely appealing to children due to their colours, texture, and likeness to lollies.
Swallowing water beads can cause intestinal obstruction, vomiting, severe discomfort and dehydration and may lead to needing surgery to have them removed. They are also a choking hazard.
It is important that water beads are used only for plants 
or in display items in the home – and kept well away from little hands at all times. 
The ACCC urges consumers to follow these safety steps:
Stop using expanding water balls as toys or playthings immediately.
Keep expanding water balls out of reach of children – make sure these products are well out of sight and out of reach of children.
Keep any items such as plants, and decorative pieces like bowls that contain expanding water balls well out of reach of children.
If consumers suspect their child has swallowed these water balls, they should seek medical attention immediately.
Also – know what to do in the event of choking. Download our FREE choking prevention and first aid guide here, and book your class with us today!
