"Toy" Magnets Are Dangerous for Children
The Bottom Line
Sets of tiny, strong magnets are sold as stress or fidget toys intended for adults but often are swallowed by children, resulting in serious injury and even death. The magnets, or a magnet and another metal object, can stick to each other, even through folds of gastrointestinal tissue. This pinches off blood supply to the area, causing tissue death, bleeding, and infection.
What are powerful rare-earth magnets?
Were you fascinated by magnets as a child? The invisible, magical force between them either slapped them together or never let them meet, no matter how hard you tried. You could play with them for hours. It is likely that those magnets were made of iron. In response to the need for smaller and stronger magnets, researchers came up with so-called “rare-earth magnets.”
Rare-earth magnets are made of iron alloyed with boron and the rare element neodymium. These magnets are 5–30 times stronger than conventional magnets. In addition to their use in modern electronics, these magnets have been used to make toys for children and adults under names like Buckyballs, Zen Magnets, and Neoballs. These small, shiny spheres can be stacked into almost any shape imaginable. Some people have used them to create the effect of fake body piercings. Videos displaying different ways to play with these magnets are widespread online.
Why were rare-earth magnet products banned?
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that ingestions of magnets from rare-earth magnet sets led to 1,700 hospital visits from 2009 to 2011. Most of the patients were children. Some required surgery to remove the magnets. A few had permanent damage to their digestive tract. At least 1 child died. In 2012, CPSC began a campaign to limit sales of these neodymium magnetic toys through voluntary recalls and safety standards. In 2014, CPSC published its final rule prohibiting their sale.
Why was the ban on powerful rare-earth magnets lifted?
The ban on rare-earth magnet sets was lifted by a judge in 2016 in response to an appeal from the manufacturers. Their argument was that CPSC had failed to account for the use of the rare earth magnet sets to model and explain physics, biology, and geometry concepts. In other words, they believed that the good outweighed the bad. The court allowed manufacturers to set their own voluntary safety standards. This has amounted to warnings and packaging changes in some cases. However, because these actions are voluntary, some products do not feature warnings on the packaging.
How common are swallowed magnets?
The number of reported cases of swallowed magnets declined significantly during the ban, but has increased steadily since the ban was lifted. In 2019, nearly 1,600 cases were reported to Poison Control. This was 6 times the number of cases reported in 2016.
Are magnets dangerous if swallowed?
Like any small object, the magnetic spheres can be a choking hazard if swallowed. Once in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, these strong magnets can stick together, often trapping GI tissue between them and cutting off the blood supply to the area. This can lead to tissue death and life-threatening GI perforation. Surgery is frequently needed to remove the magnets and repair the damage they caused.
Is a single swallowed magnet dangerous?
Most ingestions of magnets are not witnessed, so the exact number swallowed is rarely known. X-rays or other imaging procedures are used to establish the number and location of the spheres. A single magnet would have nothing to stick to and should pass through the GI tract without causing harm. However, there have been cases where x-rays showed what looked like 1 magnet when, in fact, there were 2 or more stuck together. It is common practice to take repeated x-ray images to help determine if the magnet is making progress through the GI tract.
If anyone swallows a magnet, here's what you should do:
- Do not try to make the person throw up.
- Do not give anything to drink or eat.
- Call Poison Control right away at 1-800-222-1222. The experts will tell you what to do.
Serkalem Mekonnen, RN, BSN, MPH
Certified Specialist in Poison Information
Revised William G. Troutman, PharmD
Professor of Pharmacy Emeritus
Poison Control Media Information
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Poisoned?
CALL 1-800-222-1222
Prevention Tips
- If magnet sets are used in the home, store them in a locked cabinet or box out of reach of children and pets.
- Magnet sets should also be kept away from people with intellectual impairment.
- Choose refrigerator magnets that are large enough that they cannot be swallowed or pose a choking hazard to children.
- Avoid the use of magnetic beads as fake body piercings.
- After using magnets, count each piece to make sure none are missing.
This Really Happened
Case 1. A 9-year-old girl with a habit of putting things in her mouth swallowed a button battery and a magnet. The girl was brought to a hospital. An x-ray showed the battery and the magnet stuck together in her bowel. Surgery was performed to remove the battery and the magnet. The girl had developed an area of dead tissue in her bowel where the tissue was caught between the objects, and blood flow had been interrupted. The girl was admitted to the hospital for tube feedings and intravenous fluids.
Case 2. A 2-year-old boy swallowed 6 disc batteries and a magnet; no one saw it happen. The boy was brought to an emergency room because of abdominal pain and vomiting. An x-ray showed that the objects were scattered throughout his gastrointestinal tract. A tube was passed into the boy’s stomach, and 2 batteries were removed. The boy was admitted to the hospital. Several hours later, his pain got worse and his stomach distended. He was taken to surgery, where the 4 remaining batteries and the magnet were removed. There were 2 areas of bowel perforation requiring bowel repair surgery. After surgery, he needed strong narcotics for pain and he was fed intravenously. A few days later, he developed a fever and was diagnosed with an infection. He was started on intravenous antibiotics. The following day, the boy was taken back into surgery for worsening symptoms. Part of his bowel had to be removed, and he was given a colostomy. The boy remained in the hospital for 2 more months. After discharge, he went through several more procedures to reverse the colostomy. His recovery was complete after 6 months.
For More Information
CPSC starts rulemaking to develop new Federal standard for hazardous, high-powered magnet sets. US Consumer Product Safety Commission. August 27, 2012. Accessed November 24, 2024.
Hess P. Those little magnetic balls are back on the market after a two-year ban. Popular Science. December 2, 2016. Accessed November 24, 2024.
Magnets. US Consumer Products Safety Commission. Accessed November 24, 2024.
References
Alansari AN, Baykuziyev T, Soyer T, et al. Magnet ingestion in growing children: a multi-center observational study on single and multiple magnet incidents. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):4575.
Altokhais T. Magnet ingestion in children management guidelines and prevention. Front Pediatr. 2021;9:727988.
Flaherty MR, Buchmiller T, Vangel M, Lee LK. Pediatric magnet ingestions after Federal rule changes, 2009-2019. JAMA. 2020;324(20):2102-2104.
Shaul E, Agawu A, Wood P, Umhoefer K, Mamula P. Management of magnet ingestions at a large tertiary care children's hospital. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2022;75(3):334-339.
Silverman JA, Brown JC, Willis MM, Ebel BE. Increase in pediatric magnet-related foreign bodies requiring emergency care. Ann Emerg Med. 2013;62(6):604-608.e1.
Poisoned?
CALL 1-800-222-1222
Prevention Tips
- If magnet sets are used in the home, store them in a locked cabinet or box out of reach of children and pets.
- Magnet sets should also be kept away from people with intellectual impairment.
- Choose refrigerator magnets that are large enough that they cannot be swallowed or pose a choking hazard to children.
- Avoid the use of magnetic beads as fake body piercings.
- After using magnets, count each piece to make sure none are missing.
This Really Happened
Case 1. A 9-year-old girl with a habit of putting things in her mouth swallowed a button battery and a magnet. The girl was brought to a hospital. An x-ray showed the battery and the magnet stuck together in her bowel. Surgery was performed to remove the battery and the magnet. The girl had developed an area of dead tissue in her bowel where the tissue was caught between the objects, and blood flow had been interrupted. The girl was admitted to the hospital for tube feedings and intravenous fluids.
Case 2. A 2-year-old boy swallowed 6 disc batteries and a magnet; no one saw it happen. The boy was brought to an emergency room because of abdominal pain and vomiting. An x-ray showed that the objects were scattered throughout his gastrointestinal tract. A tube was passed into the boy’s stomach, and 2 batteries were removed. The boy was admitted to the hospital. Several hours later, his pain got worse and his stomach distended. He was taken to surgery, where the 4 remaining batteries and the magnet were removed. There were 2 areas of bowel perforation requiring bowel repair surgery. After surgery, he needed strong narcotics for pain and he was fed intravenously. A few days later, he developed a fever and was diagnosed with an infection. He was started on intravenous antibiotics. The following day, the boy was taken back into surgery for worsening symptoms. Part of his bowel had to be removed, and he was given a colostomy. The boy remained in the hospital for 2 more months. After discharge, he went through several more procedures to reverse the colostomy. His recovery was complete after 6 months.