Children gulp gel beads, undergo surgery in Nizwa

Muscat: Two children under the age of two years had to undergo emergency surgery after swallowing small gel beads that expand in water.
The children are being monitored by Nizwa hospital doctors after the successful operations to remove the small toys on Wednesday.
The small, rubbery balls expand in size when placed in water.
A doctor at the Children’s Ward of Nizwa Hospital said: “The two patients, male and female, came to hospital with a condition of vomiting and lethargy. They were not extremely sick, but they needed surgical action immediately.
“They will be kept in the hospital for seven days, because the balls contain lots of chemical preservatives and need to be totally removed. The operation of cleaning the stomach takes a long time, so they should complete the antibiotics course,” the doctor added. The hospital has warned parents to be wary of any small toys that a child could place in its mouth.