Parents are being urged to be vigilant about a dangerous children's toy that could prove fatal. Consumer rights group Which? posted a warning on its social media account, urging parents to be mindful of magnets in children's toys.
Which? Warning on Magnet Toys
Which? reports that a selection of children's toys often use magnets, some of which are up to four times more powerful than UK guidelines allow. If swallowed, these magnets can lead to 'tearing through the lining of the gut and causing severe injury or death'. At least 300 children are hospitalised each year for swallowing magnets, but the actual number could be much higher as not all hospitals share their data. The legal limit for magnets in toys is a flux of 50.
"If magnets are swallowed, they can attract each other inside the digestive system, tearing through the lining of the gut and causing severe injury or death," the warning from Which? said. "We bought a selection of toys from online marketplaces and tested them to see if they were safe. Some magnetic building blocks failed our impact test, meaning they could easily snap open with tiny magnets spilling out. These magnets are almost four times stronger than UK guidelines allow."
Expert Warnings
A video accompanying the warning showed two magnets clamped either side of a piece of meat, illustrating the dangers that swallowing magnets can present to human flesh. Around one in 10 children admitted to hospital for swallowing magnets require life-saving operations.
Nigel Hall, professor of paediatric surgery at UoS and Southampton Children's Hospital, issued a particular warning for toys bought online. He warned that long-term side-effects could include having internal organs removed, leaving children with a stoma.
Prof Hall said: "These magnets have potential to harm a large number of children and young people and increase work for the NHS. Yet many magnetic toys provide very little warning for parents and caregivers of the dangers they pose, particularly those purchased from online marketplaces. Having an unplanned emergency operation is a traumatic experience for any child and their family – and needing a surgical procedure means time in hospital for days after. Around one in 10 of these young patients had surgery, with most ending up with serious problems, like needing part of their bowel removed or requiring a stoma."
First Aid Advice
Emma Hammett, an expert at First Aid For Life, said: "If you suspect your child has swallowed a magnet, the only way to know for certain is to get them x-rayed. Don't make them sick, don't give them anything to eat or drink. Take them up to your nearest A&E department and explain that you think they may have swallowed a magnet. Always supervise children around magnets and only buy toys from retailers that comply with UK safety standards."
