A new study shows that the number of magnet ingestions in children resulting in serious injuries requiring surgery has tripled in the last 10 years.
Children ingesting magnets increased attention when new and stronger neodymium-iron-boron magnets become available in the market, being sold as children's toys. The increase of ingestion cases increased, resulting to serious injuries and sometimes even death. Magnets are now incorporated in toys but these neodymium-iron-boron made magnets are powerfully packed in smaller sizes.
The researchers looked into the magnet ingestion trends over a 10-year period, dividing it into hospital visits between 2002 and 2009 to reflect small magnet ingestions and those between 2010 and 2012 to reflect magnet ingestions of the new kind.
2,722 hospital visits for foreign ingestions were studied and show 94 children met the criteria. Of the 94 children, 30 ingested multiple magnets. Magnetic ingestions tripled from 2002 to 2009 to 2010 to 2012. Between the time periods, injuries due to multiple magnet ingestion increased nearly 10-fold. Six cases required surgical intervention for sepsis of potential for imminent bowel perforation in 2010 to 2012 while no such case was reported in 2002 to 2009.
According to study author Dr. Matt Strickland from the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), the most concerning part of the study is the increased number of high-risk injuries involving multiple and smaller magnets. "Despite new magnet-specific toy standards, labeling requirements, product recalls and safety advisories issued in the past 10 years, continuing efforts should focus on educating people," he said.
Children tend to ingest multiple pieces when the magnets are small. These can adhere to each other as they move through the bowel. The magnets can attract other magnets in the child's gastrointestinal tract and rip a hole in the bowel.
The research team focused the study on digestive-tract injuries since majority of severe damage from magnets is caused by small bowel, colon and stomach perforations. Some children required surgery to remove small parts of their intestines. Many children usually do not show symptoms immediately and doctors may not see the magnets until the children undergo X-rays. By then, severe harm has already been done.
