Banning water beads would prevent more fatal injuries

What are water beads?

Water beads are small, colorful polymer spheres that can expand in water to become smooth and squishy. Created 60 years ago, Orbeez is one of the better known brands. But only in recent years were they marketed as “sensory toys” or developmental tools for children. However, parents should be aware of the potential danger these small beads present.

Are water beads dangerous?

These tiny water beads can be extremely dangerous for children of any age, but particularly infants and toddlers who often put everything in their mouths. Ingesting water beads can lead to serious injuries and even death. 

Water beads can cause injuries in a number of ways:

• As with anything small and colorful, water beads can look like candy to small children. Kids may swallow them, where they absorb water and expand in the body, blocking the airway or causing intestinal blockage. These injuries often require surgery and can even be fatal. 
• When dry, they can be as small as a pinhead, making it hard to notice if they get stuck in the ears, nose or mouth where they can expand and cause infection and permanent damage. 
• Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) testing of water beads has shown some to contain acrylamide, which is a known carcinogen and neurotoxin. Even when not ingested, water beads may cause health complications and may be unsafe for all ages. 

How dangerous are water beads?

Water beads have caused thousands of serious, and sometimes fatal, injuries in recent years. In 2023, a 10-month-old girl died from injuries caused by swallowing water beads. That same year, a 9-month-old baby swallowed water beads, causing a serious intestinal obstruction that required surgery. 

According to data from the CPSC, there were nearly 7,000 water bead-related injuries requiring emergency room attention from 2018 to 2022. These injuries included intestinal blockage, as well as ear infections and ear drum damage from the water beads lodging themselves in the ear canal. It’s clear that water beads are dangerous and should not be in any environment with children. 

Should water beads be banned?

For their target consumer, young children, water beads are an unnecessary toy at best and a life-threatening danger at worst. As a result of public pressure, including a PIRG report, Amazon, Target and Walmart have all recalled and ended the sale of water beads marketed to children. 

Last November, the Ban Water Beads Act was introduced in the House. In May 2024, Esther’s Law, named after the 10-month-old in Wisconsin who died in 2023, was introduced in the Senate. A federal ban that ends the sale of water beads would take a dangerous product off the market, plain and simple. 

Let’s take water beads off the shelves. Tell your U.S. Senator or House representative to ban the sale of water beads. By supporting this bill through Congress, we can stop preventable deaths and keep our children safe.