2023-05-10 16:03:30
These small beads are also called water beads, gel beads, aquatic beads or sensory beads.
They can be found in a variety of products: art kits, stress balls, toys, decorative vases, footbaths, etc. They can also be sold in dehydrated form in individual sachets.
If swallowed, pearls may continue to grow
These beads are made of a gel that absorbs water.
These products, once they are put in water, can swell up to 1500 times their size. If swallowed, it can cause an intestinal blockage
says Joey Browne, Consumer Product Safety Officer for Health Canada in the Atlantic region.
Caution is therefore advised, especially for young children.
They are brightly colored and children are attracted to these products. Maybe they’ll think it’s candy
affirme Joey Browne.
Beads are also bouncy and slippery. In many cases, Health Canada states that children have found beads that had rolled around in another room of the house or had access to these beads through products present at school or daycare.
6 incidents reported in Canada, including 1 serious
Joey Browne explains that Health Canada closely monitors the number of reported incidents of these beads internationally.
In the United States, 248 incidents involving water-swelling pearls have been reported between 2017 and 2022, 112 of which involved ingestion.
In Canada, six incidents were reported between 2011 and 2022. Three of them resulted in injuries, including one serious injury.
« There are risks, not only with ingestion, but also if the beads end up in the nose or ears. »
Joey Browne explains that the safety advisory launched by Health Canada is not only associated with statistics specific to Canada, but also with an increase in incidents in other countries.
We are starting to see more incidents related to this product
he explains.
What if your child swallows a water-swelling bead?
If you suspect your child has swallowed one of these beads, Health Canada recommends contacting the Canadian Poison Control Center immediately at 1-844-764-7669.
It is also necessary to monitor the appearance of certain symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, abdominal swelling, difficulty in breathing or swallowing, constipation, for example. It is also recommended to consult a doctor.
Health Canada therefore asks parents to be very careful when buying products containing water-swelling pearls.
If you are a parent or guardian of a child younger than five, you should not have this product in your home or classroom.
affirme Joey Browne.
For children over the age of five, Joey Browne advises parents to watch them carefully when handling these products and to put them away immediately following use, to prevent younger children from finding them and mistaking them for candy.
No product recalls at this time
Health Canada says it is closely monitoring the number of incidents in the country and elsewhere. For the moment, a public notice warning the population is the strategy used, but the prohibition of the sale of a product might be considered.
When a product is recalled or prohibited from sale, it is because the product is a hazard if used as intended. In this case, the inflatable water balls are used in a way that was not intended and that poses a danger. This is why Health Canada has decided to issue a public advisory
explique Joey Browne.
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