Chinese-made toys made with a chemical that converts to gamma hydroxyl butyrate (GHB) when ingested have been pulled from store shelves in the U.S. and Australia after at least five children were hospitalized, the Associated Press reported Nov. 7.

The toys, called Spin Master Aqua Dots in the U.S. and Bindeez in Australia, are popular arts-and-crafts beads that can be arranged in designs and stuck together when sprayed with water. A chemical coating on the beads metabolizes to GHB if the beads are ingested, possibly causing unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma, or death.

In the U.S., two children went into unresponsive comas after swallowing the beads, and three children were hospitalized in Australia.

Millions of the toys have been recalled. Aqua Dots had been a hot-selling toy this holiday season, and were heavily advertised both in retail stores and online. "This is something that [Spin Master] could not have foreseen," said toy-industry consultant Chris Byrne. "This is an extremely hot toy. ... It's a little scary."