PHOENIX — With presents being a big part of the holidays in many homes this season, it's crucial to remember hidden dangers camouflaged by colorful wrapping and bows, or even the toys themselves.
Dr. Bryan Kuhn with Banner Poison Control Center pointed to a rise in popularity in the pearl-like products. However, there's a new warning to parents about water beads and the dangers they can pose if ingested.
He said before 2019, it was detergent pods and home cleaning supplies that really needed to have a close eye kept on around kids. Now, it's water beads. They are colorful plastic polymer beads that can become roughly the size of a marble as they absorb water and grow in size.
"They've been around since the 50s for various industrial purposes, if the child is playing with it, keep a close supervision on them while they’re playing with it," said Dr. Kuhn.
The toys are non-toxic but Kuhn says that does not mean they don't pose a danger. The most severe cases cause obstruction and is more common in younger kids, but symptoms can surface at any age.
"Kids can very easily ingest one of these perhaps without their parents knowing it. Vomiting is probably the most common symptom that we see and then a little less common, abdominal pain and constipation."
While no extreme cases have been reported in the Valley recently, help is always just a phone call away.
"If you're in doubt, just call poison control anytime 24/7, it's staffed by nurses and pharmacists who are ready to answer your questions around the clock."
The phone number for the National Poison Control is 1-800-222-0222 and to reach the Banner Poison and Drug Center, you can call 602-253-3334.
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