From figurines to fidgets, magnets are pervasive in the toy world. While most magnetic toys are geared towards older kids, little ones can still get their hands — and mouths — on them, which can pose serious risks, particularly if more than one is swallowed.
“If a child ingests one small magnet, it’s generally not dangerous, as it almost always will pass through,” explains Dr. Elizabeth Powell, an emergency medicine physician at Lurie’s Children’s Hospital of Chicago and professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “However, if a child swallows more than one magnet, a number of problems, including bowel obstruction, can result.”
From the signs your child may have swallowed magnetic toys to what to do if they have, here’s what parents and caregivers should know about keeping kids safe from tiny magnets.
How are tiny magnets dangerous to kids?
“Tiny magnets are dangerous for many reasons,” notes Dr. Jenna Wheeler, a pediatric critical care physician at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. “They can get stuck in the intestines and cause a blockage; or even more dangerous is when a child swallows multiple magnets and they join together different parts of the intestines, causing a twisting and blockage that ultimately can lead to death of that portion of the bowel and even death of the child if not caught quickly.”
Put another way: If a child swallows two magnets separately, the magnets will try to find each other while inside the intestinal tract. This, explains Powell, “can cause bowels [intestines], which are one long tube, to connect improperly, preventing food and gas from passing through.”
“When food doesn’t move through properly,” she continues, “neither does bacteria, which can cause an infection — and this causes trouble.”
Swallowing a magnet can also “erode the mucosal surface of the intestines,” Powell notes, “which can cause a hole that allows bacteria to pass through to other parts of the body.”
Magnets, Wheeler adds, can also “lodge in the airway or lungs if the child were to choke on them.”
“Make sure older siblings know the risks so that they understand that magnets are not to be played with outside of intended use.”
— Dr. Jenna Wheeler, a pediatric critical care physician
What are the signs a child has swallowed magnets?
No one can have their eyes on a child 24:7, so it’s important to know the red flags that signal they may have ingested magnets. Here are signs your child may have swallowed a magnet, according to Powell and Wheeler:
- Choking/coughing.
- Abdominal pain.
- No stool or gas passing.
- Distended (swollen) belly.
- Vomiting.
“Vomiting, of course, can be a viral illness,” Powell notes, “but in the case of magnet ingestion, the vomiting doesn’t subside and there’s never a period of keeping anything down. Also, there’s no diarrhea present.”
Wheeler also adds that symptoms can progress over a few hours, with a child ultimately “being difficult to wake up, pale in color and eventually unconscious.”
“This can lead to death if not caught quickly and the appropriate care given,” she says. “And at times, even with good medical care, a child can still die from this ingestion.”
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What to do if a child swallows a magnet
If a child swallows one magnet (even a high powered [a.k.a rare-earth] magnet), it’s unlikely it will cause harm, as it should pass through, Powell notes. It’s always a good idea to contact your child’s pediatrician when you’re concerned, but even two magnets swallowed, if already connected, are unlikely to cause serious issues, she adds.
However, if a child swallows more than one magnet separately, “seek medical care immediately, preferably at a children’s hospital where they have specialized pediatric doctors to remove the magnets,” Wheeler notes.
“If one is not nearby, your local E.R. is a good immediate starting point,” she adds. “The bottom line is to seek care as soon as you know or have suspicion.”
What is the treatment for swallowing a magnet?
A single magnet will almost always pass, but Wheeler notes that, sometimes a child will be monitored with repeat X-rays to assure that this happens. “If it does not pass, a gastroenterologist or surgeon will go in with an endoscope under anesthesia to see if they can remove the magnet without having to move to more invasive abdominal surgery.” In most cases, though, single magnets pass within 24 hours.
“If multiple magnets are swallowed,” Wheeler continues, “the child will undergo endoscopic retrieval or abdominal surgery immediately, as this can be imminently life threatening. Sometimes children require portions of their intestines to be removed if the blockage leads to death of that segment.”
Generally, Powell notes, this will result in a 2- to 3-day stay in the hospital.
How can parents and caregivers mitigate the chances of swallowing a magnet?
It’s hard to always have your eyes on little ones — especially when there are multiple kids (and messes) in the house — but here’s how to minimize the risk of a child ingesting magnets, according to Wheeler:
Keep magnets out of reach of small kids.
Obvious? Yes. But crucial nonetheless. “Be careful that magnetic toys or any type of magnet is only in reach of those children who are age-appropriate and not at risk of putting things in their mouths.”
Educate older children.
“Make sure older siblings know the risks so that they understand that magnets are not to be played with outside of intended use,” she notes. Additionally, per the Consumer Product Safety Commission, parents and caregivers should “regularly inspect toys and play areas for missing or dislodged magnets.”
