Commonly used for watering plants, it's clear how anyone can mistake the dried water-absorbing balls for candy.
They only realized their mistake after their daughter finished the pack
The child's mother saw the tiny polymer balls in a supermarket and then she bought it for her daughter, thinking it was her daughter's favorite candy.
When she got home, she did some chores while her husband fed the 'candies' to their daughter one by one. They only realized that it wasn't candy after the mother picked up the last piece and tasted it for herself.
She shares, "It's very hard and not sweet, then I notice it's not candy but the expandable water balls."
Thankfully, the balls haven't grown yet
They started panicking when they found out that their daughter ate the water-absorbing balls, and they immediately rushed her to the hospital.
When they got their daughter to the hospital, they took an x-ray of the child and thankfully, the water-absorbing balls haven't expanded inside her stomach.
The doctors then gave the 3-year-old some medicine to get the balls out of her system. In no time, over 200 of the polymer balls already came out, and the doctors said that the rest will come out within 24 hours.
Keeping your kids safe from poisoning
Kids have a habit of putting almost everything inside of their mouths. This is why parents need to make sure that anything dangerous such as poisonous chemicals or anything that could be a choking hazard is kept away from their kids.
- Keep anything harmful out of your kids' reach. Make sure to put any cleaning chemicals or poisonous substances well away from your kids, and well away from where your kids can reach them. Dangerous objects such as knives or any possible choking hazard should also be kept from your kids.
- Teach your kids to avoid dangerous places and harmful chemicals. For older kids who can be more curious, it's very important to ensure to teach them which chemicals are dangerous and to teach them to avoid places in your home that can put them in danger.
- Always keep the numbers for poison control and emergency services handy. That way, in case anything happens to you or your kids, you know who to contact and you can get assistance faster.
- Check the labels! When it comes to the food that your kid eats, or the toys that they play with, it's important to make sure to check the labels in order to see if it's safe, especially if your child has any allergies. Additionally, it's best to buy toys that are made from safe plastics, as some cheaper toys are made with plastics that may have lead, which are a hazard for your child.
Source: shanghaiist.com, dailymail.co.uk, safekids.org
READ: Mom poisons her own child with salt to get husband “back in her life”
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