Since restrictions on the sale of high-powered magnets were lifted in 2016, injuries relating to magnets have skyrocketed, and experts are concerned that parents might not realize how serious injuries from these magnets can be. When swallowed, high-powered magnets are strong enough to connect inside the body, which can create holes in the intestines, requiring emergency surgery to fix.
High-powered magnets (also known as rare earth or neodymium magnets) can be found in a variety of products. Desk sets are large numbers of small, strong magnets that often come in a cube, ball, or egg shape, and the magnets are not enclosed in plastic or other material. Research shows that about half of injuries to children relating to high-powered magnets come from these types of sets.
There are also high-powered magnetic construction sets, which contain plastic rods with magnets at the ends and small metal balls, and tile or panel building sets, which enclose magnets in plastic tiles that are too large to be swallowed. Some of these products meet safety standards, but other might not, meaning parents and caregivers need to think carefully about what they are bringing into their homes.
High-powered magnet sets are one of those “hidden hazards” that put children of all ages, including older children and teens, at risk. Here’s what parents and caregivers should know:
High-Powered Magnets are More Dangerous than Many People Realize
If two high-powered magnets (or a magnet and a metal object) are swallowed, the magnets will pull toward each other inside the body, which can eventually cause holes in the tissue caught between them. These holes can be life-threatening and require emergency surgery to fix.
It’s Hard to Keep Track of Them
The small size and large number of high-powered magnets in these sets make it nearly impossible to tell whether any magnets are missing.
Just Because a Product is on the Market doesn’t Mean it is Safe to Have in Your Home
Stay up-to-date on recalls by signing up for notices online at http://www.recalls.gov, and always check high-powered magnet toys for loose or missing magnets.
The symptoms after swallowing high-powered magnets are similar to common illnesses: vomiting (throwing up), fever, and stomach pain. If your child is showing these symptoms and you have high-powered magnets in your home, magnets might be the cause.