Helium safety under the spotlight after mom's death
A young mother's death after inhaling helium at a birthday party for a squeaky voice has renewed calls for improved warnings on canisters.
Helium balloons are a favourite at birthday parties, baby showers and other special events. Their ability to float makes them a popular addition to every occasion.
However, getting them blown up in-store can be costly, especially if you want multiple helium balloons. Many people prefer to buy or rent a helium canister or tank so they can blow up as many balloons as they wish.
While the colourless and odourless gas is generally thought to be non-toxic, helium can lead to fatalities when inhaled. A mother from New Zealand "went instantly blue" and died after inhaling helium straight from the canister.
According to the New York Post, an inquest into Faith Waterman Batistich's death, which occurred in September 2022, found that she had no idea about the dangers of inhaling the gas.
The 20-year-old mother was celebrating her daughter's birthday when she died.
You have likely seen videos of people inhaling helium from a balloon online.
Their voices instantly become high-pitched. People find the squeaky cartoon character voice hilarious, but many are unaware that the practice can turn deadly within seconds.
Faith's twin sister, Eden Waterman, says people were taking turns inhaling helium at the party so they, too, could get squeaky voices. Her sister decided to give it a try thinking it was harmless fun. Unfortunately, while she was inhaling the gas someone at the party turned up the flow of the canister.
"It went too fast and kind of shot her in the back of the neck. Her last words were literally, ‘Oh s**t* and she dropped. I was just, like, in shock. I kind of just froze and it was like, ‘what the f***, what am I seeing? Like, is this for real?’ I thought she was putting it on at the start," Eden told the NZ Herald.
Despite their mother and later paramedics carrying out CPR, Faith did not make it.
The coroner has called for clearer warning labels on helium canisters. Waterman Batistich's family are also calling for tighter restrictions on the sale of helium, even suggesting that only store staff should be allowed to fill balloons.
What happens when you inhale helium?
According to the Australia New Zealand Industrial Gas Association (Anziga), "inhaling helium can quickly make you lose consciousness due to asphyxia (oxygen deprivation)".
In a helium safety statement shared in 2022, Anziga says that "during the exchange of gases in the normal breathing process, the bloodstream absorbs oxygen from air in the lungs, while carbon dioxide passes from the blood to the air. When you hold your breath, the exchange of gases slows, as "stale" air in the lungs is no longer replaced by "fresh" air".
It says that when you inhale helium, oxygen is removed from the bloodstream during the exchange of gases.
"Depending on how completely oxygen is replaced by helium, you may lose consciousness quickly and without warning—you may literally pass out while still standing. The usual result is an uncontrolled fall that can cause serious injury, even if normal breathing resumes."
It's advisable not to inhale helium, whether from a balloon or straight from a canister.
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