Aqua Dots

If you are exposed to children’s television, then you are undoubtedly aware of Aqua Dots. Aqua Dots are a heavily promoted product on TV that promises creativity with little mess.
For parents that already have Perler Beads, the allure of not having to use a iron to finish artwork is great. We have many melted bead art pieces in the house, but the complication of involving a parent with a hot iron makes it not the best solution for encouraging creativity.
I ordered the Aqua Dots Super Studio at the end of June and it arrived last week. Yes, it took more than TWO MONTHS for the order to arrive. It missed my daughter’s birthday by seven weeks, but it finally did arrive to much hoots of excitement from the girls.


The unit itself is fairly nice. The girls put it together with no adult help. It needs a couple AA batteries to run.

At the top of the ‘studio’ you load the actual Aqua Dots into the rotating dot holder. The button on the right turns on the motor that powers the fan. The fan is use for pushing dots down the tube and also drying completed work. The button on the left lets the dots drop into the tube for use.

The beauty of the system is the way the dots are placed. When the dots are dropped into the tube, the air blows them down the tube. The button release on the wand let’s you place the dot exactly where you want it with good control. I was impressed how well it worked for a simple system. Again, this all was simple for the kids to grasp and operate without parents.
The placement grid is essential for holding the dots in place at the right spacing. The grid slides back and forth to work on the dots, then slide them under the fan for drying later.

The key ingredient to success here is the small spray bottle of water with the Aqua Dots sticker on it. The balls themselves come in small packages and have are coated in a small layer of glue. When you have made your artwork, you simply spray it with the water and in a few minutes the glue dries and the artwork is held together.

Success is straightforward for children. The methods and instructions are clear and easy. My daughter printed out her own design, slid the graphic under the placement grid and made her own design easily.
Overall I think the Aqua Dots is a good toy for children. It’s easy to use and can be expanded upon to made three dimensional shapes as well. The main drawback in the long shipping time. Also, we can see the end of the dot supply and will have to buy more. From what I can tell, I can get the refills at Amazon or Toys’r’us.
If you want Aqua Dots for your kids for Christmas, I suggest your order now.

Update:

Aqua Dots have been recalled due to concerns about children eating them.

Author

136 thoughts on “Aqua Dots”

  1. We just received our Aqua Dots and my son was using it. The top was stuck on the chamber where you add the beads and he pulled to get it off. When he did the clear chamber came off and beads of all colors were mixed everywhere. That wasn’t the problem though. I cannot seem to get the clear chamber back with the six small blue pieces to keep the beads separated. Any tips!!
    Thanks

  3. Be Careful! Aqua Dots are toxic and contain a level of alcohol in the coating that can shut the respiratory system. My friends grandson ended up in ICU with a respirator.

  4. These are toxic!!! My son just got out of the hospital as well, having been in the ICU. I will be telling everyone about what happened to my son, and hopefully it will help keep people from buying it.

  5. Aqua Dots have been recalled. get rid of them if you have them. The chinese manufacturer substituted a chemical that converts to a potentially lethal drug in the human body. This product is called bindeez outside the us/canada.
    DO NOT BUY

  9. another reason to buy local and buy American…in the 60’s concerned citizens worked hard to get DDT banned from being used on our veggies…but now with so much of our produce coming from countries where dangerous sprays have never been banned!
    The same thing with the so-called food safety program being forced by the USDA…have you heard of the ridiculous program called NAIS? The USDA thinks they have the answer to all these meat recall problems…called NAIS (national animal identification system) It will require all those who own even one chicken, horse or other livestock animal, to register their premises, microchip and file birth, death and movement reports so the govt know where those animals are at any moment. The silly reasons given for this program range from bird flu, mad cow, bioterrorist attack or any number of “you need our help” garbage but the real reason is to benefit multi billion dollar corporate agriculture so they can improve their marketability while sticking it to the small producer or pet pot belly pig owner. But NAIS tracibility ends at the moment the animal goes to slaughter. see nonais dot org for more info.

  12. A child in Israel died this week after spending 3 days in a coma. Doctors found an unknown drug in his system that was similar to GHB. He was playing with Aqua Dots (Bendeez) the evening before he was brought into the hospital.
    Unfortunately there is no hard evidence that he actually swallowed any of the beads so this case is not being reported in the news. However, it is almost certain that he got the drug from sucking on Aqua Dots since they could not find any other source for the drug and the GHB itself is not available in Israel.
    Sad, sad, story… If you have this toy, find every last bead and keep them far far away from your kids.

  14. Taking away the Aqua Dots from my daughter is going to break her heart, it was her birthday present from us. This breaks my heart also, and not only that, now I have to be the bad guy. Thanks alot Aqua Dots.

  17. whats next… it seems all this crap comimng in from China goes direct to the shelves of the stores with NO testing …where are all the consumer protection agencies from the government at..They are asleep at the Wheel….all these companies in China care about it Profits..It is time we return our imports for refund to China..
    Only then they will fix the problems…

  18. You guys obviously don’t know what you’re talking about… GHB is was not ORIGINALLY a date rape drug folks. It was sold in the 80s as a muscle building suplement in stores like GNC! . It’s sold in europe in some places as an anti-anxiety medicine. In large doses it can cause someone to go to sleep (in a non-coma temporary state) — in some countries doctors use it as an anesthetic … It’s made by very common chemicals so the fact that these toys metabolize into GHB doesn’t mean someone slipped some “date rape” drug into your kids toys… Try to do some research before going into mass panic mode.
    BTW alcohol can be a “date rape” drug … It’s a stupid over generalized label.

  19. You guys obviously don’t know what you’re talking about… GHB is was not ORIGINALLY a date rape drug folks. It was sold in the 80s as a muscle building suplement in stores like GNC! . It’s sold in europe in some places as an anti-anxiety medicine. In large doses it can cause someone to go to sleep (in a non-coma temporary state) — in some countries doctors use it as an anesthetic … It’s made by very common chemicals so the fact that these toys metabolize into GHB doesn’t mean someone slipped some “date rape” drug into your kids toys… Try to do some research before going into mass panic mode.
    BTW alcohol can be a “date rape” drug … It’s a stupid over generalized label.

  20. IT is absolutely not toxic… Stop spouting non-sense.
    ” As drugs go, GHB is about as “clean” as you can get. As an endogenous* regulator of energy metabolism and a natural neurotransmitter, it is well-known to the brain and organs. They are used to its effects and have highly efficient systems for metabolizing it safely [150]. The substance is eliminated (that is, back to baseline levels) in 2-4 hours and continues to be so even after twice-daily doses for a week [10]. In one European study, no adverse effects were reported after several years of hypnotic* use [94]. The LD50 listed above is huge, and there is literally no danger of acute toxicity. ”

  21. Do some reseach idiots! … GHB is a naturally occuring chemical in everyone! You have it in your system already! … It’s not some mysterious drug!
    Grow the hell up and stop talking out your asses.

  22. I agree with Adam all the way. people need to do more research and stop spreading the uneducated sensationalist hype. Thanks Adam for trying to set these people straight.

  23. Ah yes, now this certainly shouldn’t be on a children’s toy, but I love the typical media misdiscription of drugs.
    GHB is one of the most similar drugs to alcohol known. Most people wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a person on GHB or a drunk person. It was also sold as an alcohol until 1999. Just like alcohol too much of it can cause coma/death.
    Just like with alcohol, children should certainly not consume it, especially in large quantities.
    Now I don’t like GHB or alcohol, but I have to laugh at how demonized GHB is, while alcohol is fully accepted and never referred to as a “date rape” drug.

  24. *Alcohol replacement, not alcohol. Sorry!
    I was actually just researching a little more, and it doesn’t appear that there are really any deaths from it, except for when it is mixed with other drugs.

  25. To those who are saying that GHB is non-toxic, well that maybe so in very low doses – but the reality is that 5 children have been hospitalised showing symptoms such as fitting and seizures. Some of children came close to death. That’s not propaganda – that’s reality! GHB is obviously at toxic dose levels on these Aqua Dots, and that is what is being discussed. It’s not relevent to anyones recreational drug pursuits, and their delusional ideas about the safety of GHB – which is dubious. Also please note: it’s been suggested that a child in Israel may have died from sucking on one of these Aqua Dots. Get with reality please – don’t come onto this sight and confuse parents with misinformation.

  26. Yes…wether it’s natural in your body or not….it can be toxic once certain levels are reached…..too much WATER can be toxic and cause death….as we saw in a recent nintendo wii contest where participants were holding their “wee” to win a wii…a woman drank so much water without relieving herself that she died shortly thereafter. Natural or not, something definately CAN be toxic, so stop trying to sound like you know something.

  28. Thank you guys for minimizing what happened to my son. Have your kid be absolutely unresponsive to stimuli and then we will have a conversation about the effects of this metabolizing into GHB in a kid’s system.

  29. Ok, I guess I should not have been sarcastic. The bottom line is, there were more ingredients than just the butylene glycol in the Aqua Dots that shouldn’t have been there. That just happened to be the one that caused my son to go into the hospital. You can say what you want, but I saw the effects first hand and it was pretty scary.

  30. Too many problems with China, they make cheap crap that everyone buys upin bulk and then they use the profits to build up a weapons force.China is very dangerous. we should buy American and keep our economy going. Stay out of Wal mart too….. they are ruining this country!

  31. Maybe becasue I grew up with toys that were a lil’ bit more involved (i.e. Transformers), I think that Aqua Dots are one of the stupidest toys I have seen.

  32. Dont buy AQUA DOTS I have also heard of children being hospitalized because of the coating on the beads once you add water it gives the children a date rape effect. We bought one for my daughter and son they have been wanting it for months and we got it home and the pen jammed up mixing up the colors and once we added water it took 24 hours to stick and even then it fell apart. this morning on the news there was something on it and how it is going to be recalled i thought it was junk before the recall. i was very dissapointed.

  33. I’m not a parent and so I’m out of the “toy loop” but I’m just wondering how a toy made up of little swallow-able dots got so popular? Seems dangerous even if the dots weren’t toxic…Any thoughts?

  34. I would have never bought Aqua dots if i had known what could happen if it reached childrens mouths. Obviously kids who are too young and like to put things in their mouths or touch their mouths after playing with these beads should not have them. i already today took them away from my 4 year old she swallowed a small set of keys this summer on accident so she could put anything in her mouth. For all of you who have witnessed the effects first hand im sorry- and thank you for sharing it with the rest of us so we know- and the rest of you who dont care or dont have kids shut up and stop making it harder on these people who almost lost their children because of a TOY that was made improperly. Yeah GHB may be natural but obvioulsy it is dangerous in larger amounts maybe if you had kids you would understand this.

  35. My comment wasn’t meant to offend…I just saw the news story and had never heard of aqua dots and came across this forum. I just was surprised to see a toy made up of dots that could be swallowed as something popular. And even more surprised when I saw the age limit as “4 and up.” Again, I don’t have kids so I am assuming parents know something I don’t, which is why I posed a question. Maybe kids don’t swallow stuff once they are four years old?? I’m more interested in the economy of this as I am a doctoral student studying international communication. I do extend my sympathies to parents who have gone through a difficult time with kids who got sick through this poor manufacturing.

  37. I’m sure the 4 and up label came from the manufacturers in China. Even six year olds have a tendancy to put things in their mouth.
    Anyhow, I am deeply sorry for the children and families who have been affected by this new unfortunate “mishap” from China.
    I will pray for you all.

  38. GHB is a very dangerous drug… contrary to what some people have posted. Although if you have read the articles correctly… it says that the drug is simular to the drug GHB… come one people this is not a time to go back in forth on weather or not GHB is good, bad, deadly, or indifferent. This is a time to take a stand against products made over seas. Other then the fact that they do not have the quality control testing an such… What about the millions of americans that have lost their jobs because its “cheeper” to make things there. Logically that doesnt even make sense to me…. Ya lets go make this for example… Chair in china currently made in the US for lets say 100 dollars/ China 20… then lets ship it back to the US for 60 dollars… Wow we can save 20 dollars a chair… Come one… The issue here is that america is no longer concerned with quality… its quanitiy… and price. So people like the old saying goes… YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

  39. Buy American is easy to say, but not easy to find.. Tell me what brands are made in the USA and what stores to find them at.
    I tried it.. Walmart isn’t the only store that supports every other country but ours, JC Penny’s, Sears, Limited Too, Baby GAP and The Childrens Store. I couldn’t find any baby clothes in any of these stores that were made in the USA let alone toys. How frustrating and sad!

  41. whatever you want to call kids are in commas period bottom line. Bring back American from ruin- buy American.

  42. “Buy American is easy to say, but not easy to find.” Exactly! A high percentage of what you own right now was made in China. So many of our products are made in China and other countries. Even if the final product is made here chances are that the raw materials (or components) are from China. As other have said let’s not get into panic mode. Let’s try to find out what can be done differently.

  43. Adam makes a good point on “Buy American”. Lets not panic. But I still think the best toys for kids are a cardboard box and some Crayola’s and their imagination. I grew up with these and GI Joe’s and Tonka Toys. Why get these Aqua Dots? What does a kid really learn? Their imagination and creativity is what you want them to use. Isn’t it?

  44. If your kid is dumb enough to eat balls of superglue, maybe they should be in a coma. If you downed a bottle of superglue, the same thing would happen. So why blame China? Maybe idiot parents who produce mindless children should be recalled. XD

  46. It’s the government’s fault for not screening the toys from china? give me a break. I’d venture to say this toy most likely has a minimum age printed on the box of at least 3 or 5 as it has small objects that can obviously be swallowed. If your kid is older than 5 and still doesn’t know not to swallow colorful glue dots, then there wasn’t much hope anyway.

  48. Go figure.
    It goes to show you that the Chinese have no concerns for life or liberty.
    This is the way they want to control the population. Slowly toxicify the world.
    They don’t CARE!!!

  49. You know, I am starting to think it would be a good idea if parents began holding those who manufacture, distribute, and promote these types of items legally responsible for the damage these products are causing our children. Perhaps this should also include sites that do cheap, so called “product reviews” on these items without actually doing any real research on the items other than just taking them out of the box and assembling them. For example, has anyone contacted Cyndi above whose son has been playing with these since Sept. 14th because of the “favorable review” this site gave the product? The difference between America and a good portion of the world is that we still have the right to sue. Think about that the next time some politician tries to tell you how we have to curtail all of these law suits.

  50. Two children is our state have gone into comas after palying, or ingesting these “dots”. Just get rid of them every body!

  51. Two children is our state have gone into comas after palying, or ingesting these “dots”. Just get rid of them every body!

  52. The Chinese are trying to poison us.
    Chimpy and the Repukes won’t protect us.
    Chimpy’s crony at Consumer Product Safety Commission goes on junkets paid for by manufacturers, and she recently told Congress she wants NO increase in her budget.
    If you’re angry about Aqua-Dots, blame Chimpy.

  53. I remember a chemistry set that I rec’d when I was in grade school. It contained chemicals that bubbled, foamed, stained, generated heat, AND were poisonous.
    I never considered ingestion, smearing on my skin, etc.
    How about some parental supervision instead of parentl hysteria?

  54. Wow, we have this. My son is 7 with cerebral palsy. I’m so glad he got bored of it after playing with it twice. I remember telling him to make sure not to put it in his mouth (not knowing what it was made with). my thoughts then were, they wouldn’t make something harmful for children, just in case of accidental ingestion. Wow I’m glad I continued to say not to put it in his mouth in case he choked. wow!

  55. Why does it surprise you that children put these things in their mouths? Did none of you consume paste or playdoh as a child? Did none of you put marbles in your mouthes? I could see myself putting Aquadots in my mouth to chew on just because they look fun to chew and I am an adult with an IQ above 140.
    To childproof a toy you have to think like a child.
    The substance that converts to GHB in the body may not have even been known to the manufacturer to cause the problems that it does. I am not trying to defend the manufacturer; however, China has significantly less resources for testing their products when compared to the US. The machines that analyze chemicals cost 5-7 figures in US dollars (before the dollar fell in the markets)! And you also need a competent chemist to read the report it spits out properly.
    If you don’t want chemicals in your food, buy organic…it is usually American.
    If you don’t want to get fat, don’t eat food with trans-fats and high fructose corn syrup.
    If you are looking for clothes safe to wear, LOOK ONLINE! The ‘tree-huggers’ that so many seem to despise actually sell clothing that is grown in fields not treated with pesticides or herbacides and is usually grown in america.

  57. The kids who eat these glue dots must be the same kids who jam their fingers into electrical outlets.

  58. Those Idiots out there saying parental supervision, are total idiots. You cannot watch your kids 100% all of the time and these dots look just like a candy on the market. They should not make a toy that chemically changes when injested that can kill children FULL STOP.

  59. I am sorry for anyone who has a child harmed from this toy. My sister just got one last Saturday for her birthday. I gave her money yesterday to buy more. The thought of her swallowing one of those is horrifying. What shocks me is that they smell like Elmers Glue which children consume everyday. It is scary to think that these tiny dots had enough GHB on them for ONE dot to put a child in coma. Weird… There has to be something more…

  61. do not consummme this it is toxixccccc 5 boy commumes and they are in serious problems in the hospital pleaaaaassssssssssssss

  62. i feel bad for the kids here and the kids there making the toys. if only we could put the “UNITED” back in the States of America. unite to make this great country what it once was. we can blame everyone but mostly we should blame ourselves for allowing this. everytime you purchase something that is NOT made in the UNITED states you are giving your personal approval that it is okay to send our jobs over seas, that we do not care how things are made so long as it’s cheap for us to buy.
    i am no different, or maybe now i am. i am going in my sons room when i’m done here. i will clean house today in a way i hadn’t really thought about before. extreme….no i just love my family enough…and my country. we can make this a better place. it will take some time but eventually business would shift back to being US based.
    every purchase is your consent. i no longer want to sign on that dotted line.
    my thoughts are with all who are suffering because of this. we can make a change…one by one.

  63. do not consummme this it is toxixccccc 5 boy commumes and they are in serious problems in the hospital pleaaaaassssssssssssss

  64. for the people who keep saying that kids who put things in their mouths are idiots, do you not put anything in yours other than food? maybe a pen cap while your thinking of your next brillant thought? your fingernail with all its germs? ever picked up a pencil in the office only to find teeth marks? hmmm….did children sneak in and do that. but maybe these people that are on here running their mouths are too busy running their mouths to even realize what they still do as supposed adults. stop blaming kids for something that you and everybody else who buys foreign products are responsible for, including me. and yes i feel personal responsiblity in what these kids are going through even if i didn’t buy this particular item. i had my hand on it in the store but looked at my husband and said “how much lead do you think is in here?” A teenager next to us laughed, until i said “son when your grandchild comes out with 2 heads and 1 giant hand will you laugh then? get educated and make a difference.” I would like to believe otherwise but most words fall on deaf ears.

  65. I just bought these for my 5 year old, he loves them! He even made an American flag out of them.. so cute!!

  66. The only adults who bite their fingernails and chew pencils are the same people who ate poisonous glue and jammed their fingers into electrical outlets as children. Never once as a child did I consider putting glue or plastic into my mouth because I wasn’t a mindless zombie then or now. Maybe this is because I wasn’t raised by a television and fed candy for breakfast as children are today. I have no sympathy for idiots and the Chinese who make these toys are probably laughing just as much as I am at this news.

  67. “This is the way they want to control the population. Slowly toxicify the world.”
    Somehow I doubt China is worried about population control.

  68. Just this last weekend my daughter was making some type of ornament with her aqua dots. I was stealing some of her super sour nerds candy and spilled some on the table. While picking them up I also picked up the same color green little aqua dot. So I could see how they could be eaten by accident. Heck I almost ate it. Those nerds are pretty good!

  69. Just this last weekend my daughter was making some type of ornament with her aqua dots. I was stealing some of her super sour nerds candy and spilled some on the table. While picking them up I also picked up the same color green little aqua dot. So I could see how they could be eaten by accident. Heck I almost ate it. Those nerds are pretty good!

  70. Jim, you are a cold hearted person. I only hope you never have children. And hope that any relatives you have are not affected by something like this.

  71. Good point Mike …these Aqua Dots look a lot like standard lollies. It’s probable that some toddlers may confuse these lolly-like toys with candy!! That’s a HUGE worry given their toxicity. Anybody indifferent to this risk obviously has no experience with children.

  72. A grown adult who spills candy over a table of superglue balls and then eats them both is probably not far from the state of mind of someone in a coma anyhow. It’s mind boggling how stupid the average person is.

  73. Bottom line is childrens safety, even if a product could possibly be dangerous, it needs to be taken out of harms way. Our kids are the most important people in this whole situation…
    To all who have had first hand experience with the situatrion, my heart goes out to you and I hope your child/children are doing better…

  74. well ladies and gentlemen we have found a genius amongst us. jim, you must be the highest sought after person in the world. to have such a memory of everything you did as a child and infant. wow, do you remember everything you’ve ever done in your whole life? everyday? every moment? if you in fact had a mother and weren’t hatched under a turnip truck, would she attest to this greatness of yours? so, basically what you are saying is that you were born smart enough to know better than to put things in your mouth but not smart enough to get the concept of common decency or compassion? i have a hard time thinking that you can comprehend much of anything. but this is america and we are accepting of anything, including ignorance like yours jim. i normally wouldn’t waste my time but for some reason i think you’re full of it. i bet you sat there with true tears in your eyes at the news. that’s ok i won’t tell anybody that you do have a heart. we know you love all people big and small. i have to believe that anybody who protests repeatedly is really hurting inside and only lashing out in anger and pain. tell me, jim, does this hatred stem from not having any candy or toys when you were young? did you ONLY have a stick and rock to torture animals with?
    there are people out there jim, just like you, that need compassion and sympathy from time to time. i am sorry that when you’ve needed it you obviously didn’t receive it but please don’t take it out on the parents and blame innocent children. foreign or not…a child is born with basic goodness in their hearts. we are all human, even you jim, and i believe that you too have goodness in you.
    i will think about you from time to time jim. i wish you nothing but the best. for someone who has obviously went through some terrible stuff i hope you can find somebody who triggers the compassion button in you. nobody can feel good feeling the way you do. make a change jim. make it right now with me.

  77. Lorie , you are right about one thing only, and that is that I in fact AM the most sought after person in the world. The ladies can’t resist me and my vast knowledge of things that shouldn’t be put in one’s mouth. They, like you, know just what to put in their mouths however.

  78. due to the amount of mass recalls i have been checking on the cpsc website twice weekly. it is one of many ways to help protect our children and ourselves. the best thing we could do is to not support foreign made products by not making these purchases. i really hope that everyone affected regains their health and that we take a lesson from all of this. please let this be the motivation to make a change…one by one we can make a difference. we all count, every single life out there counts!!!!

  79. yes, jim, i believe you are popular with the ladies. we tend to go for the guy who is gruff, rude and bad for us! lol

  80. None of you understand what you’re talking about!
    This is called Fear Mongering GHB Madness!
    The truth is this:
    The product may contain trace amounts of GBL, that when ingested the body converts to GHB and metabolizes harmlessly.
    When high doses of GHB are ingested, it will induce REM Sleep (Deep Rapid Eye Movement sleep)–This is totally healthy and non-toxic.
    GHB has NEVER created a “COMA” and no one has ever DIED from pure GHB overdose.
    These children NEVER went into a COMA. It is IMPOSSIBLE. Do you even understand what a COMA is? They just fell asleep and awoke fine.
    The ONLY danger that GHB imposes is when it is mixed with alcohol. Only then does the combination of the 2 become dangerous.
    If someone who takes too much GHB is left alone to sleep they will fall into a deep sleep for about 2-4 hours and will awaken feeling great.
    GHB has been used by some idiots as a date rape drug because it is dangerous when mixed with alcohol and puts people in a deep sleep. This is horrible but try and understand the reality of what is going on. Alcohol itself is the worlds #1 date rape drug.
    If used responsibly GHB would replace alcohol entirely because it is completely nontoxic and a positive experience where alcohol creates violent negativity and is a major social problem. It is alcohol and idiots that are the problem, not GHB.
    These children NEVER went into a COMA. It is IMPOSSIBLE. Do you even understand what a COMA is? They just fell asleep and awoke fine.
    GHB causes the brain to use oxygen extremely efficiently. This is why it is given to pregnant mothers during birth complications (in the UK). a high dose causes the unborn baby’s brain to use oxygen efficiently so it will NOT suffer brain damage from the umbilical cord being tangled during complications.
    People with nympholepsy get it prescribed to help with sleeping disorders (approved by the FDA)
    Numerous psychologists have reported on it’s extremely remarkable ability to CURE alcoholism and drug dependency. It is a completely non toxic and wonderful NATURAL substance (produced in your body every day) that in the hands of the ignorant can be dangerous.
    Try and understand the reality of the world instead of believing in nonsense.
    It is sad that these children ate these beads in the first place. What kind of parent lets their toddler play with anything that can be ingested? Luck for them the beads weren’t really toxic. Other toys have killed children in the past.
    For all we know, the beads didn’t really contain GBL. They could have contained 1,4-butanediol which can be toxic and is really dangerous. Although it is converted to GHB in the body, it is also metabolized to other intermediates and those can be toxic, which have nothing to do with GHB. Due to the ignorance of the population we may never know the truth.
    Educate yourself and stop letting your child eat toys!

  82. To people who believe that it is an overreaction and that GHB found in Aqua Dots is harmless:
    It is completely accurate to say that GHB, in small amounts, will only cause mild symptoms such as nausea, dizziness or fatigue FOR ADULTS. You must understand that a child is quite different than an adult! A child has a much smaller circulatory system than an adult and the amount that is harmless to adults is proportionately greater and therefore more dangerous to a small child. An amount of this drug that is harmless to an adult can be potentially lethal to a child! It has been proven that the ingestion of this toy can induce unconsciousness and even comatose states in small children.
    Do not let children use this toy – IT IS DANGEROUS.

  83. Additionally, with widespread reports such as these circulating about the toxicity of a toy, it is purely COMMON SENSE not to purchase that item. Even if the chemical simply puts your child in a COMPLETELY harmless sleep, children should not have drugs in their system unless totally necessary.
    Is any toy REALLY worth risking your child’s health?

  84. Just in case anyone is in doubt that GHB and GBL are dangerous, here’s a quote from Wikipedia:
    ” Overdose of GHB can be difficult to treat because of its multiple effects on the body. GHB tends to cause rapid unconsciousness at doses above 3500 mg, with single doses over 7000 mg often causing life-threatening respiratory depression, and higher doses still can induce bradycardia and consequent heart failure. Because of the faster and more complete absorption of GBL relative to GHB, its dose-response curve is steeper, and overdoses of GBL tend to be more dangerous and problematic than overdoses involving only GHB or 1,4-B. ”
    Anybody who has some sense of life threatening health issues knows that ANYTHING that seriously suppresses respiration is life threatening!! What’s more, when it involves children it’s more serious, because the dosage required to cause a life-threatening response is MUCH LESS because of the lower body weight of children.
    Pro-drug propaganderists, please get a sense of reality on this issues. Drug yourselves if you want, but don’t come onto this site spreading your misinformed propaganda!

  85. Unfortunately trying to buy American toys will be pretty hard. I own a small retail specialty toy store. 80% of all toys that are made for amerian consumers come from China. I work with some wonderful companies but most of them are manufacturing their items in China. This is so disappointing. Companies are trying to raise more profits then looking out for American consumers. There are few companies that still produce their items in America
    *Little Tikes (some of their products are made in America, not all so ask when you order)
    *Slinky Toys
    *Haba Toys (They are not made in AMerica but Europe and they have wonderful selection of wooden toys)
    *Knex
    Put made in America toys in search engine and you should find lots of sites,,,(but be aware many electronic toys are not made in America.
    Hope this helps

  87. Spin Master Recalls Aqua Dots – Children Became Unconscious After Swallowing Beads
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
    Hazard: The coating on the beads that causes the beads to stick to each other when water is added contains a chemical that can turn toxic when many are ingested. Children who swallow the beads can become comatose, develop respiratory depression, or have seizures.
    Incidents/Injuries: CPSC has received two reports over the past several days of children swallowing Aqua Dots. A 20-month-old child swallowed several dozen beads. He became dizzy and vomited several times before slipping into a comatose state for a period of time, was hospitalized, and has since fully recovered. A second child also vomited and slipped into a comatose state and was hospitalized for five days.
    Description: The recalled toy is a craft kit which allows children to create various multi-dimensional designs using small colored beads. The beads fuse together when sprayed with water. The recall applies to all models of Aqua Dots. The product is available in various different kits with accessories such as a drying fan, applicator pen, design templates for the beads, and spray bottle. The product is labeled for ages 4+.
    Sold at: Mass merchandisers nationwide from April 2007 through November 2007 for between $17 and $30.
    Manufactured in: China
    Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled toy away from children and contact Spin Master to return for free replacement beads or a toy of equal value.
    Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Spin Master at (800) 622-8339 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at http://www.aquadotsrecall.com
    Firm’s Recall Hotline: (800) 622-8339
    CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
    CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908
    Source: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08074.html

  88. I’d just like to point out that some people on here are absolute idiots- jim, mike(not nerd-candymike, the one alllll the way at the top,balls of superglue-mike),adam, rusty, among others.
    Other of you have the right idea- this toy is harmful, and parents cannot always spend 24/7 with their children, especially if they have more than one. you could leave your 7 yr old to play with the toy in the same room as you, while you help the 4 yr old, and the kid can still swallow the toy.
    My hearts go out to all of those whose kids are in the hospital. even if it is discovered that this toy wasn’t the sole cause, those kids are still in the hospital, and no kids that age should be in the hospital.
    Also ,what is with the anti-foriegn stuff? I’m all for supporting american produced products, sure, but this could easliy have happened here for the sake of cutting costs. The price of the 1,4-but-whatever is significantly lower than the 1,5-whatsit that was supposed to in it(i don’t know the spellings off the top of my head.)
    I hope some of you start to use those brains that you supposedly have-
    And the rest of you-keep telling the truth to those idiots, maybe they’ll listen to your common sense and learn.

  89. As a member of the rave community I was wondering how many of the pellets i need to eat to get high, and if any of the colors seem stronger than others. If anyone doesn’t want them, go ahead and send them to me.

  90. As a member of the rave community I was wondering how many of the pellets i need to eat to get high, and if any of the colors seem stronger than others. If anyone doesn’t want them, go ahead and send them to me.

  91. i sucked the lsd of my chineese leggos once…i was seeing sounds and tasting colors…
    no seriously where can i get some aqua-dots…I NEED SOME G_SLEEP…
    no but really…isn’t this crazy, drugs in toys…

  92. i sucked the lsd of my chinese leggos once…i was seeing sounds and tasting colors…
    no seriously where can i get some aqua-dots…I NEED SOME G_SLEEP…
    no but really…isn’t this crazy, drugs in toys…

  93. The toy is a great toy if it were manufactured PROPERLY…the only reason this has come into play is because of the fact that the Chinese manufacturer decided to save a dime and use a different chemical compound then ORIGINALLY contracted. WITHOUT approval from ANY distributor. If THESE particular beads/dots are ingested they metabolize INTO gamma hyrdroxy butyrate (GHB). They did NOT make the product OUT of GHB, rather it metabolizes in the body as such. Clearly, dispose of the product and contact Spin Master Ltd. or Moose Enterprise for SAFE replacement product. There is no need to get up in arms about parent supervision or conspiracy, it’s a simple recall, the children are now recovering and steps are being taken to investigate how this will be prevented in the future. Calm down, return your toy and if need be pick up the Moon Sand instead of the Aqua Dots this holiday season.

  94. It is truly terrifying some of the comments on the AD for this product. ~*~
    Jim ~ you are an ass. You must have a truly “pleasant” life.
    You insomniacs who take this drug … good for you … are you counting your pills so your kids (or others) don’t take them?

  95. that’s just crazy! they somehow made a toy for children that turns into drugs? and not on purpose? i wonder what other toys i can lick to get f’ed up…

  96. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SCARY. DONT LET ANIMALS ARE KIDS PLAY WITH THESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THROW IT OUT.

  100. Sorry, but what the hell was a 20 month old baby doing playing with this toy?! THat i just plain stupid and a major oversight on the parents’ part.

  102. Poor parents, must be scary.
    And although I agree children’s toys should be safe…I don’t get how these appeared safe for ingestion in the first place. You just spray water on them – obviously they have chemicals on them. No?

  103. Several anonymous people, probably ravers and rapists, waxed on about how the date rape drug GHB is ‘non toxic’ and other good things about how it improves your heath or what not by making you relaxed and happy.
    That a drug is used to ‘feel good’ does not mean it is safe. Freezing to death also makes you relaxed and happy. Sniffing glue makes you feel good. Etc.
    The scientific facts about GHB are found here:
    http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00056563.htm
    http://emedicine.com/emerg/topic848.htm
    You can take your direction from a bunch of irresponsible drug addicts on their way to an early death, or you can listen to the facts from science. Your choice.

  104. Sorry.
    GHB can NEVER cause COMA.
    Watch this cnn interview. Ofcourse it was scary, but the child just fell asleep just like I said.
    No lasting effects. NO COMA. It is impossible. Wikipedia and the scientists and media are lying to you if you believe otherwise.
    And yes, a child’s body is more sensitive. It is not life threatening, unless they were to drink about 1/2 liter of it in 5 minutes… enough salty water to make you puke first. almost impossible by the way.
    http://www.yahoo.com/
    it’s a shame how they are calling it the date rape drug. our media is crazy. just look at how they promote war. this is pure mind control!

  105. damn this ghb!
    i was pooping solid aqua dots until they got me high!
    i just bought some online for novelty sake!

  106. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THIS IS TOXIC TO CHILDREN AND SHOULD NOT BE ADDED TO CHILDRENS TOYS, AMERICA SHOULD BE INSPECTING MERCHANDISE FOR SAFETY BEFORE PUTTING IT ON THE SHELVES FOR CONSUMERS NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY IT WAS MADE IN. ADAM IS THE ONE WITH HIS HEAD UP HIS REAR END… BECAUSE THE POINT IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE THINK OR MAY NOT THING THAT THIS GHB IS KILLING AND HARMING OUR CHILDREN. WHAT AN ASS ADAM IS.
    THE ONLY OTHER THING I HAVE TO SAY IS THAT THIS IS A LESSON TO PARENTS TO NOT BE SO APT TO JUMP UP AND BUY OUR KIDS THE LATEST HOT ITEM AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT ON THE MARKET. THATS WHY SO MANY KIDS HAVE NO IIMAGINATIONS ANYMORE…THEY HAVE TOO MANY TOYS JUST BECAUSE ITS THERE. THESE TOY COMPANIES KNOW HOW TO MANIPULATE US BY WAY OF OUR KIDS… TAKE CHARGE PARENTS. MY SON HAS A WAITING PERIOD BEFORE RECEIVING HIS LATEST TOY DESIRE… ONE TO MAKE SURE ITS SAFE AND TWO, TO MAKE SURE IT WILL RETAIN HIS INTEREST. STOP SPOILING YOUR KIDS.

  107. The cases where kids have ended up in the hospital have been children under 4 and the product clearly says its for kids 4 and older. I truly wish people would concentrate on teaching their children self preservation skills and not being so OK with them being imbeciles. There is no reason why any older kids should be putting these toys in their mouths. Tackle that and there won’t be a problem.

  108. What a wonderful way to start your day. I stumbled across this site while trying to figure out what Aqua Dots are. I started reading the comments and just rolling with laughter at the cruelty and ignorance of some of you. For those of you preaching against non-American made products, read an Economics book you idiots. Thank you for my morning entertainment, it spurred some interesting economic debate between me and some of my co-workers.

  109. “Mindless” Mike! I guess your parents were idiots huh? My sympathies go out to the parents and their children who were effected by this toy. Times change and new chemicals are used in so many things. My concern is, if this was a toy for children 4+, how did a 1 1/2 year old get ahold of it? Even if there are older siblings in the house. I would always let my older child play with a toy that was not for the younger one when he went down for a nap.

  110. GHB is lethal at a certian doseage. Kids can die from ingesting it, their bodies aren’t adapted to handle that sort of chemical. More kids have eaten them than they say in the news. I don’t think people are overreacting about this. Kids will eat crap they’re not supposed to. I don’t get why they had to use chemicals that would create GHB to begin with.

  111. GHB is lethal at a certian doseage. Kids can die from ingesting it, their bodies aren’t adapted to handle that sort of chemical. More kids have eaten them than they say in the news. I don’t think people are overreacting about this. Kids will eat crap they’re not supposed to. I don’t get why they had to use chemicals that would create GHB to begin with.

  113. hi every one im brittney and im 13 and once i herd about this i emedeitly went and told my parents NEVER EVER buy aqua dots they will kill us kids and i myself dont wanna die and im sure ur kids dont eigher so what ever you do Dont Buy AQUA DOT’S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  114. jim you are a funny guy getting all these people pissed at you you must love all the attention

  115. brittney just don’t eat them. or do it. have you been experienced…i have…i’m just kidding…

  116. Granted that the chemicals in this toy should have been detected before Aqua Dots were mass produced, it does not excuse parents for their shortcomings. Regardless of whether this has chemicals or not, Aqua Dots have small parts. It’s not rocket science: Kids eat small things. You should stop and think about how often you let your children put foreign objects in their mouths. You can’t pin everything on the producers. This is a joint issue and I feel that people are afraid of taking responsibility for that matter. Watch out for your kids. They could eat a cigarette butt outside, sand from a sandbox, glue (which most kids do eat), and plenty of other materials that can’t be good for them either.

  117. ADAM
    WHAT THE HELL does it matter if GHB didnt used to be a date rape and is natural and what not?!?!?! DO YOU FORCE FEED YOUR CHILDREN GHB???? you might not have any but if you did WOULD YOU WANT THEM TO GO INTO AN EFFING COMA OR DIE FROM EATING IT UNKNOWINGLY??? What are you suggesting..that we just monitor the dosage???? E. coli is naturally in our bodies too, but would you want to eat some??? IT REALLY DOESNT EVEN MATTER WHAT IS IN THE TOY!!!! the fact is the beads are dangerous . the end.
    next THINK ABOUT THIS Y ‘ALL
    Is China doing this on purpose?? First the dog food, then the lead, now ghb??!!! I say the US should STOP buying there shite if theyre gonna keep making these lethal “mistakes”… can we really trust a country that kills their own female babies just because they prefer sons?
    oh and…
    The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officially cites more than 45 deaths and 5,500 emergency room overdoses associated with GHB.
    HOWS THIS SOUND … When someone dies from a condition called pulmonary edema, the symptoms of which are described as “blood frothing out of their nose and mouth all over the place?” Well, then they rationalize that the person just took too much.
    OH SO ITS NOT THE GHB THAT KILLS EM!!! ITS JUST THE BLEEDING OUT OF THE HEAD PART? so harmless
    ****Contrary to common misrepresentations on the Internet, GHB also often kills or injures all by itself.

  118. Too much of anything is lethal. Our bodies are mostly water, but have all of us forgot the radio station that held the “Hold your wee for a Wii” contest? One of their contestants DIED from water intoxication. You just cannot assume that just because we may have a chemical in our bodies that it is an overall safe thing.
    This is a horribly sad situation. I have two children myself and think that my oldest (8 years) would have put an aqua dot in his mouth just to see what would happen. Who knows. I have never seen this product myself, but I would wager that the packaging said that it was non-toxic. If the general population is safer without this “toy” then so be it. I no longer feel safe purchasing toys for my children. Every last one of them is made in China. Christmas is coming and I will not be buying toys for my kids. Parental supervision is one thing, but your child will experiment and try things out no matter what you do, no matter how many times you say no because they test out everything. Sure there was always a kid who ate paste in class, you knew a friend who ate cat food, or what about accidentally swallowing a watermelon seed. You just cannot monitor all things at all times.
    My final thought, even if all of this was due to poor parental supervision, the toy maker holds some responsibility in keeping their product safe. That is just the bottom line.

  121. People criminalize China a lot, but I bet you aren’t complaining when you go to WalMart and pay only $19.99 for a toy for your bratty little American kid. Go ahead and ban Chinese goods from your market, and see how high the cost of living is going to reach. There’s a reason you import so much from China, and it’s because Americans are so damn greedy and all they want is more, more, more. If everything you consumed was made in America, you wouldn’t be able to afford half of the things you own, and that would be a sad, sad day, wouldn’t it?

  122. People criminalize China a lot, but I bet you aren’t complaining when you go to WalMart and pay only $19.99 for a toy for your bratty little American kid. Go ahead and ban Chinese goods from your market, and see how high the cost of living is going to reach. There’s a reason you import so much from China, and it’s because Americans are so damn greedy and all they want is more, more, more. If everything you consumed was made in America, you wouldn’t be able to afford half of the things you own, and that would be a sad, sad day, wouldn’t it?

  124. I agree with the (at least 2 ppl) who have gotten yelled at for being “insensitive” or whatever. I have 4 children and I am sory but if I had already bought them, I wouldn’t get rid of them. I think most of the children who have been hospitalized have been under the age of 4. Why in hells name would you give someone under 4 a toy that is for 4 and up??? The one incident was a 13 month old child. How stupid was that parent to let that child play with it? Especially swallow hundreds of balls? My children who are all over 4(youngest is 5)are all smart enough to not eat their artwork. When my youngest was a toddler anything potentially dangerous was not played with and put away safely until after he was asleep.

  125. Oh, and I’m not disagreeing with the recall. Yes it should be recalled. I’m just saying that the parents who’s kids have ended up in the hospital should have some of the blame on themselves.,

  126. I will have to give my kids some aqua dots when it’s nappy time. maybe it will calm them down a bit. by the way, I agree with Mike. Go Mike!

  127. It is unfortunate that the Chinese manufacturer decides to cut corners and puts harmful substances in children’s toys. But why would any sensible parent give TODDLERS these tiny beads to play with ?! I would imagine toys with these small parts in it should have some sort of age warning on it ( like Legos). Older kids would know better than to EAT TOYS instead of just PLAY with them. Kids cannot think for themselves and parents are the ones who should be looking out and buying toys that are suitable for their little ones instead of blaming others. People need to stop making excuses for themselves and blaming the Chinese because without them, the cost of living would sky rocket and even your union jobs won’t be able to put food on the table.

  128. I din’t think that people letting their older children play with them, I beleive the older one’s are using this toys and some get left in their reach. Parents need to pay better attention. If I were them I would just rid of it.

  129. Aqua dots are very bad.
    Don’t buy them for your children!!!!!
    I’m verry sick from them right now!!

  130. Wow, you people are SO damned judgemental.
    Good for you all,not letting your baby play with the big kid’s things, would you like a pat on the back? Does it make you feel better, putting those other parents down?
    You really follow the labels on the toys? You don’t use your own judgement? ever? If a game says it’s for ages 6 and up, does your five year old not get to play???
    Do you think these parents don’t feel bad enough? That you have to make them feel worse?

  131. Umm, there’s a reason so many toys are labeled to not give to small children due to choking hazards. I am pretty sure it would be fairly easy to get one of those lodged in the wind pipe of a toddler and if a teenage male knows that, a mother should definately know that…
    And also, while i do agree an older child may put one in his mouth or swallow one, i really doubt that one is enough to put them into the coma everyone is freaked out about. Notice how in the news, most of the kids that are harmed are described as toddlers and have eaten multiple dots.
    Thirdly, before you get into the whole anti-China thing, they may be to blame for putting the chemicals in, but the toy is sold by an Australia-based company. They should also get significant blame for marketing and advertising the product without testing it.

  132. And also, does anyone know if these toys are sold in China? I think that might be a good way to tell if a toy is toxic in the future, if they don’t sell it in China.

  133. Ok, everyone. I am the mom of one of these kids who was affected by this. I know that I should have been watching him more closely. I already feel bad enough about all of this. That being said, I am a stay at home mom and if I didn’t let him run around and play, I wouldn’t get anything done and his development would be hampered. I didn’t give these to my son. They were put up in his older sister’s room and he climbed to get them. I have said in the interviews that the bottom line is that it is a parent’s responsibility to look out for their child. Of course, if any of you people that are bad-mouthing me would pay attention a little more than you would know that.
    Kids do get into stuff, though. Also, let it be said that my son was not a kid who put stuff in his mouth, only food. Until this.
    I have been beating myself up over this since it happened, so it is really unnecessary to hear it here as well. Thank you so much.

  136. Drugs are bad…you shouldn’t do drugs…mmm kay? If you do them, you’re bad…because drugs are bad…mmm kay? It’s a bad thing to do drugs…so don’t be bad.. by doing drugs, mm kay? That would be bad…and drugs are bad…mmm kay?

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