Water absorbing balls a WA child risk

Water absorbing balls, toys and novelty items have been swallowed by West Australian children, prompting a warning from Consumer Protection about the risk of choking.

The polymer balls, which come in small crystal form, are used by florists to hold flowers in place, but some have been sold as toys.

If swallowed, they could expand up to 400 times their original size, Consumer Protection said.

There were two recent cases in WA where children were taken to hospital after swallowing the balls, which could obstruct airways, or block the intestines and bowel.

In Geraldton, a two-year-old boy ingested up to 12 balls in December, while a child in Perth was rushed to an emergency ward in September after swallowing some balls but did not suffer adverse symptoms.

In some overseas cases, children required surgery, and in Pakistan, one child died.

Consumer Protection commissioner Anne Driscoll said there were serious risks with the products and sellers should ensure that they were not sold as toys.

"The balls can sometimes be colourful and may look like lollies and be very attractive to a young child," she said.