Silica gel is a drying agent that often comes in the form of small, clear beads or clear rock crystals placed in small packets made of paper or cloth. These packets are often packaged with commercial products to prevent damage caused by moisture.

Accidentally eating desiccant silica gel shouldn’t make you or your child sick because it’s chemically inert, which means that it won’t break down in the body and cause poisoning. Most of the time, silica gel will pass through your body without any harmful effects.

Silica gel is a "desiccant" which means that it's used to keep things dry. Silica gel is made from silicon dioxide — a compound naturally found in sand — and has small particles that can absorb large amounts of water.