Can we talk about water beads?

[usernamednameduser]

This is a rant for what my sister went through last night.

My niece G (23 months) was playing with a ball full of water beads and it popped, my other niece L (4) ran to her mom and and told her “G popped the ball and is eating the beads!” My sister freaked out (rightfully so) and they took G to the ER, they waited for 2 hours while being told “I don’t understand why this is a problem” and the hospital had to call poison control because they didn’t know what to do and to top it all off poison control said she’d be fine! They then told her to take G to a different hospital 1.5 hours away and they started the transfer, they were there for 4 hours in total before they had to drive 1.5 hours to a different hospital, when they got there they had the ER prepared just in case. They sedated her and put in a scope to check and everything was fine, she didn’t eat one, thank God!

Hearing about this this morning got me so upset for my sister, she could have lost her child because the hospital didn’t know what they were doing and had no urgency for an urgent situation.

My biggest fear as a mother is something like this happening but with a different outcome.

Edit: How are water beads still being sold?

 

[mikec508]

@usernamednameduser Please make sure that your sister deep cleans and moves all of the furniture. My friend has a nonprofit called That Waterbead Lady where she spreads awareness, provides resources, and advocates against the sale and lack of regulation of waterbeads. When her daughter was injured by the waterbeads, it was because she managed to ingest one that had rolled under the fridge or oven and went unnoticed during cleanup.

 

[usernamednameduser]

@mikec508 I will let her know, thank you

 

[endrew]

@mikec508 Holy shit, what a terrifying story! It's been a few years since my kids played with them, but if I find any in my cupboard, they'll go straight in the garbage, double bagged so no animals get at them either!

 

[jfarmer]

@mikec508 Her stuff is all over TikTok and I've been sharing the crap out of it. It's so terrifying!

 

[mikec508]

@jfarmer Thank you for sharing the information! It really seems like it's up to us as parents to spread the word because institutions like poison control are moving at a snail's pace.

 

[yeshuaismyishi]

@mikec508 I follow your friend on tiktok, she’s doing an amazing job spreading awareness. My daughter received a science kit for Christmas that came with waterbeads, due to your friend raising awareness, I knew to throw them away before they were ever even opened.

 

[mikec508]

@yeshuaismyishi This makes me so happy to hear! I'm really happy that Ashley has been spreading awareness.

 

[buildfaith777]

@usernamednameduser https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/ch...ead-target-kennedy-mitchell-hospitalized/#app

This story was in my local news in November. I mentioned it in a different sub and some doubted the story. I’m so glad your niece is ok. I think more parents with young children should be aware of this danger.

 

[loveofyhwh]

@buildfaith777 This mom popped up on my FYP on TikTok, what a terrifying experience for her.

 

[faith1st]

@loveofyhwh Ya TikTok’s the only reason I knew they were dangerous. That poor mother.

 

[buildfaith777]

@loveofyhwh So awful. You never know what kids will do. It amazes me the amount of people that doubt this can happen. It’s so sad that the ER didn’t see the urgency in OPs story. I’m glad target had decided to not sell this product.

 

[coolant]

@usernamednameduser This is so scary and I'm glad your niece is okay.

I have a ~2yo son, and I've literally never heard of these things or seen them. After doing some reading about them, THANK YOU for posting this. I had no idea.

 

[xtina35]

@coolant Dear lord SAME. Had zero idea about any of this. Neat little new fear to have tucked away in the ol noggin now.

 

[kevonb129]

@coolant Water beads like to show up in birthday party goodie bags. I appreciate the goodie bag but those immediately go into the trash

 

[malak]

@usernamednameduser Yeah I don’t know why these were ever marketed as toy. They are great for their intended purpose of watering plants but they are so damn dangerous otherwise

 

[heyitskatie]

@usernamednameduser It really saddens me that the hospitals don’t understand it’s not the toxins we’re worried about. It’s blockages because they grow, and can get stuck inside their body.

More light needs to be shed in the water beads. Hospital staff, parents, care givers need to understand the potential risks they can cause.

I’ve made it clear to family and friends we will not accept any toys with water beads in them.

 

[dendy]

@usernamednameduser Yes! My friend gifted them in a loot bag, so I thought they were okay, but upon playing with them I quickly realized this could be a bad idea. Why are these marked to small children?!

 

[usernamednameduser]

@dendy Right!

 

[holytrinity]

@dendy They’re not marked for ages where they still put things in their mouth. Most parents let their much too young children use them.