My Child Ate Silica Gel

If your child ate silica gel, give them a few sips of water.

What to know: Silica Gel

• Silica gel can also be referred to as desiccant, silicic acid or H2SiO3.
• Silica gel can be a choking hazard. If your child is choking on silica gel beads or a packet of them, call 911 immediately.

Toxicity Level

My child ate silica gel. Is silica gel toxic?

Silica gel is chemically inert and is usually considered nontoxic. It comes in the form of clear round beads in a paper or cloth packet and is usually found in new, store-bought products. It can be a choking hazard, which is why these packets often say 'DO NOT EAT" on them.

Symptoms of Poisoning

Eating silica gel usually doesn’t cause symptoms. If your child ate silica gel, give them a few sips of water.

Eye Exposure

For more instructions, please see our page on eye exposure information.

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