Exposures associated with making or playing with viscoelastic polymer toys known as Slime: a retrospective case series from French Poison Control Centres

Abstract

Context: Slime is a slow-flowing material with viscoelastic properties which is attractive to children. Its preparation is based on the crosslinking of polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl acetate or starch with boric acid.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to describe the adverse effects of Slime.

Materials and methods: This is a descriptive retrospective study of cases of exposure reported to French Poison Control Centres between January 2014 and May 2018. The following parameters were used: age and sex, date and circumstances of exposure, symptoms and severity.

Results: Two hundred and eight (208) cases of exposure were recorded, 93 cases happened in 2017, and 88 cases in the first four and a half months of 2018. The average age was of 8 years old; 190 patients were younger than 15. Fifty-seven percent (57%) were female. Regarding routes of exposure, 168 were oral, 30 cutaneous, eight ocular, one inhalation and one ear exposure. Eighty-two (82) patients were symptomatic, including 81 cases of low severity and one of average severity (keratitis). All cases lead to recovery.

Conclusion: No significant adverse health effects are expected to develop if only small amounts are swallowed; making Slime with home ingredients is a potential cause of boric acid exposure that must be supervised by adults.

Keywords:

• Slime
• dermatitis contact
• poisoning
• child
• play and playthings

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to extend their thanks to all the French Poison Control Centres for their contribution to this study through their daily responses to emergency calls. The authors would also like to thank Pierre Labadie for the translation of the article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.