The Dangers Of Magnets

With the holidays upon us it is important to be aware of the dangers of toys that possess tiny, powerful magnets. These items may seem harmless at first, however they can be potentially dangerous if two or more magnets are ingested. Because they become attracted to each other internally, they can cause perforations, obstructions, sepsis, and death. Often times surgery is required to not only remove the magnets, but repair its path of destruction.

In an interview, Kim Dulic, spokesperson for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, told ABCNews.com that incidents of kids and teens accidentally consuming high powered magnets have been on the rise. From 2009 to 2011, there were 22 reported cases with ages ranging from 18 months to 15 years, 11 required surgery to remove the magnets.

One 3 year old girl from Oregon consumed 37 magnets. The magnets, clamping together, punctured her stomach and intestines. Most people, including the Oregon girl, experience symptoms similar to the flu after several days of having magnets in their body.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) advises in the instance you suspect magnets have been swallowed:

• Seek immediate medical attention
• Medical symptoms to watch for are: abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
• In X-rays, multiple magnetic pieces may appear as a single object.

Small children learn and explore by putting objects in their mouths, which is why all parents need to have an increased awareness of toys that incorporate magnets. Parents must all be aware of any manufacturer recalls. The following link to the CPSC website includes up to date information on recalls: http://search.cpsc.gov/query.html?qt=magnets&charset=iso-8859-1

If your child has been injured as a result of a magnet in a defective toy, contact Maine Personal Injury Attorney Mark Randall.