The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has issued a warning about water beads.
The product, which are also known as gel beads and sensory beads, are increasingly being used as a toy.
The beads are made of a superabsorbent polymer and can retain hundreds of times their weight in water.
Water beads are a choking hazard for young children, and if swallowed can continue to expand, growing considerably larger than their original size and causing intestinal blockages requiring medical intervention.
The beads also can become lodged in a child’s ears or nose, the CCPC warned, noting a number of reported incidents around the world involving water beads, including blockages in ear canals and internal organs resulting in hearing loss and bowel obstruction.
The CCPC advised parents to keep water beads away from young children and to dispose of the products when not in use.
Parents are also being advised to check the recommended age of usage of the products, as most water beads are only recommended for children aged five and older.
