'Expanding Bead' Toys May Cause Serious Ear Injuries, Docs Warn

Toys that are made out of tiny beads that expand when they get wet can be a hazard for children, in some cases getting stuck in kids' ears and causing permanent hearing loss, according to a new report. The report describes the cases of two children who suffered ear injuries after playing with the beads. If the child gets water in his or her ear (for example, during a bath), or if a doctor doesn't realize the beads can expand and tries to remove them using drops or flushing the ear with water, th