Orbeez Water Beads Lawsuit: Get the Right Lawyer

What are Orbeez Water Beads?

Orbeez are small, colorful, gel-like balls that are popular as sensory toys for children and adults. They start as tiny, hard beads, but when they are hydrated with water, they expand to many times their original size and become squishy and soft.

Orbeez are made from a special polymer that can absorb large amounts of water. When they are soaked in water, the polymer absorbs the water and swells up, creating a soft and squishy texture.

Water balls are used for a variety of purposes, including sensory play, decoration, and crafts. They come in a wide range of colors and can be used to create colorful displays or to add a tactile element to playtime.

Related Article: Water Beads Lawsuit

What’s the Problem?

The problem with Orbeez water beads is that they are made out of a super-absorbent polymer that starts tiny and then expands dramatically in water, growing to a dangerous, life-threatening size inside children’s bodies if they are accidentally swallowed, put in ears or noses, or inhaled.

Making matters worse, water beads often don’t show up on X-rays, making diagnosis difficult when children display symptoms. Nearly 8,000 visits to emergency rooms from 2016 to 2022 were related to water bead incidents, according to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) [1.].

Signs of Water Bead Ingestion

• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Abdominal swelling
• Stomach pain
• Drooling
• Lethargic behavior
• Lack of appetite

Amazon, Target, Walmart to Stop Selling Water Beads Marketed for Children

Amid pressure from lawmakers and safety advocates to remove water beads from store shelves, Amazon, Walmart, and Target have stated that they will no longer allow the products to be sold if they are being marketed to children, according to Consumer Reports [2.].

“In the interest of safety, Amazon will no longer allow the sale of water beads that are marketed to children, including as toys, art supplies, or for sensory play,” an Amazon spokesperson told CR. “We work hard to ensure the products offered in our store are safe, and we have teams dedicated to developing and updating our policies, evaluating listings, and continuously monitoring our store to prevent unsafe and noncompliant products from being listed.”

Amazon went on to say that Orbeez Water Beads will now be prohibited, and that water beads sold as ammunition for “gel blaster” guns will not be allowed if they are marketed for children.

Walmart said it will prohibit the sale of all water bead toys and craft supplies that are marketed for children under age 9, both in stores and online.

Consumer Reports Warns Patients to Dump Water Beads Immediately: News4Jax Video

Water Beads and Bowel Obstruction

When a child swallows a water bead, it can continue absorbing water and growing in size while in the stomach or intestines. As a result, one of the most common severe complications of water bead ingestion is bowel obstruction.

Bowel obstruction can be fatal and requires immediate surgery. In the many cases involving children who developed bowel obstruction after consuming water beads, multiple surgeries were required, which led to severe health complications.

Water Beads and Toxic Brain Injury (TBI)

Water beads are often advertised as “non-toxic;” however, the toys are frequently made from petroleum products that are not safe for human consumption. Water bead ingredients can include acrylics like polyacrylate and acrylamide.

There is at least 1 documented case in which a child developed a TBI after consuming water beads. The child underwent surgery for bowel obstruction once water bead consumption was diagnosed as the problem.

However, her doctors then learned that she had suffered permanent brain damage due to the acrylamide contained in the water beads she had consumed.

Water Beads and Other Health Complications

Another serious health risk with water beads is the damage they can cause if placed in the ears. There have been multiple cases of young children placing water beads in their ears and developing severe complications as a result. Water beads placed in the ears require surgical removal and have resulted in permanent hearing loss.

No matter how water beads are consumed, removing the products from a child’s body is a difficult task. Because the beads are so small, children typically ingest multiple beads. This often results in the need for multiple surgeries to remove all the water beads.

Chuckle & Roar Ultimate Water Beads Recalled After an Infant Death

About 52,000 Chuckle & Roar Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kits, sold exclusively by Target, were recalled [3.] in September 2023 after at least 1 infant died, and another was seriously injured after ingesting the water beads.

In November 2022, a 9-month-old infant in Maine swallowed a water bead from a Chuckle & Roar activity kit, which caused an intestinal obstruction, requiring surgery to remove it. Then, a 10-month-old infant died in Wisconsin after ingesting one in July 2023.

The recalled Chuckle & Roar Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kits are sold in a purple box which can be identified by its UPC number on the back, 079346627035. The kits include 2 ounces of “jumbo” water beads and 6 ounces of “regular” water beads.

They also feature a clear container and lid, 5 small toy fish, a scissor scoop, tweezers, a scoop with a handle, 10 activity cards, and instructions.

If you purchased one of the recalled kits, which contains 10,000 expanding water beads, you should stop using it immediately, keep it away from children, and return it to the point of purchase for a full refund.

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FAQs

Are Orbeez water beads safe for children to play with?

Orbeez water beads are generally marketed as safe for children, but they pose choking and ingestion hazards, especially for younger kids. Always supervise children when playing with them.

What should I do if a child ingests Orbeez water beads?

If a child ingests Orbeez water beads, seek medical attention immediately. The beads can expand inside the digestive tract, leading to potential blockages and serious health risks.

What are Orbeez water beads made of, and are they biodegradable?

Orbeez water beads are made of superabsorbent polymer, which is not biodegradable. They can persist in the environment for a long time, so proper disposal is crucial.

Can pets be harmed by Orbeez water beads?

Yes, pets can be harmed if they ingest Orbeez water beads. The beads can expand in their stomachs, leading to serious health issues, including blockages that may require surgery.

See all related product liability lawsuits our attorneys covered so far.

Get a Free Orbeez Water Beads Lawsuit Evaluation With Our Lawyers

The Product Liability Litigation Group at Schmidt Clark, LLP law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Orbeez Water Beads Lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and are currently accepting new Orbeez water beads injury and death cases in all 50 states.

Again, if Orbeez water beads have injured your child or other loved one, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to a settlement by filing an Orbeez Water Beads Lawsuit and our lawyers can help.