6/22/2023 0 Comments Magnet toysThey may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and fever. Signs and symptoms of swallowing magnets can often be mistaken for a viral illness. Swallowing magnets is a serious, life-threatening matter, says Poison Control.Ĭhildren often don’t report what they did. How to prevent your child from swallowing magnets Goodman hopes her report to the CPSC helps lead to more restrictions on high-powered magnets sold as toys or adult stress relievers. At least one child died, according to the CPSC.ĭr. A few had permanent damage to the digestive tract. Some required surgery to remove the magnets. from 2009-2011 - most patients were children. The CPSC reports that ingestion of these magnets led to 1,700 hospital visits in the U.S. Ten times stronger than common household refrigerator magnets, their size and attractiveness (when multicolored, they look like candy) make them a huge hazard for young children. Small, high-powered magnet sets showed up as children’s toys in the early 2000s and then later in 2009 as desk toys for office workers to relieve stress and boredom. Although they have long been known as one of most dangerous ingestion hazards in children, they remain readily available for purchase online and in gift stores. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) about these magnets. Luna’s emergency room visit to CHOC prompted Dr. Magnets as stress relievers and toys, documented hazards “They were extremely calm and understanding of the situation, and made us feel more comfortable,” Philip says. Goodman and others on her team made things a little easier. Philip says Luna’s medical emergency was scary for him, his wife, and his son. Luna pushing a toy car during her stay at CHOC Hospital She had to have a gastric tube placed in her stomach to deliver nutrition for a few days after surgery, and it took a couple of days for her to be able to consume liquids. The procedure took only 90 minutes, but Luna remained at CHOC for four days. The magnets were stuck across the walls of the different loops of intestines, and if untreated, would have perforated. Goodman says, adding that Luna was lucky to have avoided serious injury.Īlthough one magnet had safely passed to Luna’s rectum, three were in her small intestine and colon. “With a small incision, I was able to find the magnets, but in order to pull them out I had to make a small exploratory incision through her belly button, cut open her intestine, and take them out,” Dr. Goodman performed Luna’s surgery on May 11. As she explains, “because of Luna’s degree of pain, I thought the magnets were doing something bad in there, so I decided to operate.” Emergency surgery needed for magnet removalĭr. Goodman believed the magnets inside Luna were threatening to perforate her tissue. When more than one of these magnets is swallowed, they attract to each other across tissue, cutting off blood supply to the bowel and causing obstructions, tissue necrosis, perforation, sepsis and even death.ĭr. Luna’s X-ray showing the four magnets in her stomach Goodman to tell if they were in one loop of the intestine, or endangering Luna by sticking together across two different parts of the intestine. Luna’s X-ray showed the four magnets together, but there was no way for Dr. Laura Goodman, pediatric general and thoracic surgeon, saw Luna in the ED. Just like Philip and Patricia thought, the physician said they would likely pass, but suggested they to go to CHOC to be safe.ĭr. It showed Luna had swallowed four magnets. He told them to go to urgent care for an X-ray. Seeking medical treatment for magnet ingestionĪfter Luna repeatedly vomited the next morning, the Luna’s parents called their doctor. “Did you put any of these in your mouth?” Gabriel asked his baby sister.Īt a phase when she’s answering “yes” to most questions, Luna responded in the affirmative.īut her parents didn’t worry too much before they slept, thinking if she had, in fact, swallowed one, the tiny magnet likely would pass with no issues. This wasn’t the first time Luna had played with these her brother had had the magnets for about five years. The silver magnetic balls – each the size of a BB pellet – can be molded into different shapes. Then they remembered: Their son, Gabriel, 12, had seen Luna playing with his set of tiny, strong magnets just before bedtime. They racked their brains: What did she eat last night? Weird, thought her parents, Philip and Patricia. One night, 2-year-old Luna awoke at 3:30 a.m. But thanks to the swift and expert intervention from experts at Luna has made a full recovery. Why playing with magnets may be bad for kids, tips for preventing swallowingĪ recent 2-year-old’s trip to Julia and George Argyros Emergency Department at CHOC Hospital highlights the dangers of ingesting tiny, high-powered magnets that are included in toy sets.ĬHOC patient Luna and her family went through a scary experience when she swallowed four of her brother’s magnet toys.
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