SouthernWorldwide.com – A concerned mother is advocating for a ban on water beads, a popular children’s toy, after her daughter suffered severe injuries. The call for a ban comes from the authors of a new report, highlighting the potential dangers associated with these seemingly harmless, water-absorbing spheres.
Ashley Haugen’s daughter, Kipley, was just a toddler when she developed a rash and began vomiting. Doctors were initially perplexed by her symptoms. The cause was eventually discovered to be the small water beads her older sister was playing with. These beads have the alarming ability to expand up to 100 times their original size when exposed to water.
“During surgery, they found the water beads had caused a blockage inside of her small intestine,” Haugen shared with CBS News. She expressed her distress, noting that the beads were marketed as non-toxic, eco-friendly, and biodegradable, leading to an assumption of safety.
Following the surgery, Kipley began experiencing difficulties with coordination and responding to instructions. Medical professionals confirmed developmental delays, ultimately diagnosing her with toxic brain encephalopathy.
Kipley’s case has been documented in a recent publication in the journal Pediatrics. Haugen is among the first parent advocates to co-author a case report in this esteemed journal. The report’s authors are also urging for the inclusion of warning labels on all products containing water beads, to inform consumers about the risks of ingestion.
Dr. Elizabeth Friedman, Medical Director for Environmental Health at Children’s Mercy Kansas City, explained the underlying concern to CBS News. “Water beads are made of polyacrylamide, and acrylamide is a known neurotoxin. Our consumer products and the chemicals used to make them are not well regulated,” she stated.
Kipley, now 8 years old, is unfortunately not an isolated case. Data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission reveals that between 2016 and 2022, over 7,800 ingestion injuries related to water beads were treated in U.S. emergency departments. Tragically, in 2023, a 10-month-old infant passed away after swallowing water beads.
“It breaks my heart, what happened to Kipley. And for me, it’s been very healing to be able to know that that pain has a purpose,” Haugen conveyed, finding solace in her advocacy work.
Ashley Haugen, right, with her daughter Kipley, who was injured as a toddler after swallowing water beads. (CBS News)
Haugen is actively involved in raising awareness and supporting other families through her advocacy website, That Water Bead Lady. The platform aims to assist families whose children have been harmed by consumer products.
Kipley herself has a direct message for lawmakers. “Please work together to ban water beads. Lots of kids like me got hurt,” she urged.
“Kipley has made a lot of progress,” her mother added. “She still has challenges, but she is an amazing little advocate.”
The article was edited by Dana Carullo and Paula Cohen.
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