Child Safety Alert: In a world of colorful toys, a recent event highlights the importance of child safety. Water bead kits, once considered fun toys for kids, have been removed from Target shelves due to a tragic accident resulting in the death of one baby and severe injury to another. Buffalo Games is recalling the Chuckle & Roar Ultimate Water Beads Activity Kits. These kits were easy to find at Target.
Water bead kits may appear safe due to their tiny, colorful beads, but conceal a hidden danger. When wet, these beads can expand significantly. If a child ate one of these beads, it could be hazardous. Once inside, the beads can rapidly grow, posing life-threatening issues such as lung or bowel blockage.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission warned about the dangers of eating water bead kits, including severe harm or death. In July 2023, a baby in Wisconsin died after eating a returned water bead. It was sad news for the Buffalo Games. In November, a 9-month-old baby had a severe intestinal blockage resulting in permanent damage.
Target stopped selling these kits in Nov 2022 for safety reasons, and customers were refunded upon return. While it relieves Ashley Haugen, a caring mother from San Antonio, this move is just the start of her plan for child safety. She believes more than one kit from one brand is needed, as various companies produce and sell water beads.
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Haugen wants water beads removed from the market as toys, not just a recall. She believes these items should never have been sold as children’s toys due to their inherent danger. He strongly supports this cause because her daughter Kipley fell ill as a baby without a clear cause. During surgery, Kipley’s ingestion of water beads was discovered, and she remains unwell.
Despite the fear, Chairman Alexander Hoehn-Saric of the Consumer Product Safety Commission will continue investigating water bead risks. Current safety rules may require modification to safeguard children. Hoehn-Saric discusses issues with water beads. They are sold as sensory toys for kids, but if swallowed by a baby or small child, they can be deadly. He asks parents, schools, camps, and other places to keep dangerous things out of reach for babies and young children.
Ashley Haugen has an essential message for parents: careful supervision may stop water beads’ dangers. “Don’t buy them,” she says clearly. Avoid using them. Please don’t allow them in your house. Hidden toy risks remind us to prioritize their safety and health in a world that values children’s innocence.