Water-absorbing toy balls

• Copyright © 2013 by the American Academy of Pediatrics

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has announced the recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products unless otherwise instructed. Consumers can submit reports of harm to CPSC’s searchable online product safety database at www.SaferProducts.gov. A searchable food and medical product recall database is available at www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/default.htm.

Units: About 14,200

Hazard: If a child swallows the soft ball, it can expand inside the child’s body and cause discomfort, vomiting, dehydration or death. The balls do not show up on an X-ray, and surgery must be used to remove them.

Description: Recalled are marble-sized toys that absorb water and grow up to 400 times their original size. They were sold as Monster Science Colossal Water Balls (model #7255) and Super Star Science! Colossal Water Balls (model #7704). Monster Science packages contain eight balls and “growth powder.” Super Star Science! packages contain five balls. The balls were sold in blue, green, orange, purple, red, yellow or clear.

Sold at: Specialty retailers and education centers nationwide and at Amazon.com, BeAmazingToys.com and WorldMarket.com from September 2010 through November 2012 for about $3 per package.

Remedy: Contact Be Amazing! Toys for a refund.

Contact: Call 877-798-9795 or visit www.beamazingtoys.com.