I am in the office with the parent of a 9 month-old and we are laughing together over his progress. His mother describes how he is now pulling up to stand with the furniture and grabbing for everything he can to put in his mouth.
These are exciting milestones for children, but present a whole new level of safety concerns for parents. We spend a portion of every well-child visit focused on injury prevention. Usually, the discussion is based on the child’s age. For infants close to walking independently and developing increasing hand coordination, we often discuss keeping older children’s toys with small parts out of reach.
I seldom have a specific item to caution parents about, however, recent media attention has focused on a product I think few parents would initially consider a danger to a child. These are tiny BB-sized neodymium magnet balls, marketed under the names Rare Earth Super Magnets, Executive Desk Toys, Bucky-balls, Nanospheres, Zen Magnets and Magnet Balls. They are sold in sets of 100 or more pieces in multiple colors. The magnets may be purchased online, in gift shops, and office supply stores. The products get high online reviews for their ability to secure multiple sheets of paper to refrigerators and file cabinets. Adults seem to enjoy them as a desk distraction during the work day. However, comments also include how difficult they are to remove and detail pinched fingers accidentally caught between magnets.
Though nobody would think to give such a product to a young child, children will naturally find the shiny magnetic pieces attractive. If they can reach the magnetic pieces, they are very apt to put them in their mouths, swallow and choke on them. The danger comes when more than one magnet is swallowed. Because the magnets are so strong, they will work to find each other anywhere in the stomach and intestines. The result has been obstructions, perforations (holes), twisted bowels, severe infections and even death. Children have undergone multiple surgeries, endoscopies and bowel resections.
Since the sets have so many small pieces, it is very difficult for a parent to tell that a couple of the magnets are missing. They are difficult to find if dropped in fluffy carpets or between couch cushions. Even teenagers have tried to use two magnets to make it look like they have tongue or lip piercings and accidentally ingested the magnets while manipulating the pieces in their mouths.
Reports of children swallowing the magnets began in 2002 with currently more than 200 reports, many of which required emergency surgery. The first product warning was released in 2007 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In 2009 the CPSC required the magnets be labeled for adult use only (14 years +). However, this labeling did not decrease the continued number of injuries and sales continued. Then, just last month, on July 25, the CPSC filed a formal complaint against the manufacturer of Buckyballs and Buckycubes, Maxfield & Oberton Holding LLC. The firm has been ordered to stop selling the products as the CPSC did not feel after discussions that they reached a satisfactory plan for voluntary recall with the company. In addition, multiple retailers have agreed to suspend sales of the product including similar products made by other companies.
Though the CPSC is working at a national level with manufacturers and retailers, it is up to parents and physicians to work together on an individual level to keep children safe. At this point in time, parents should be very careful to keep all small magnets away from children younger than 14 years old. Teenagers should be cautioned not to keep the magnets anywhere near their faces in an attempt to pretend they have a piercing. If you suspect your child has swallowed a magnet you must seek immediate medical attention. Do not expect that the magnet will pass on its own. Typical symptoms following ingestion of the magnets include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea though these may also be symptoms of a variety of other illnesses.
The Rare Earth magnets are in the news today, and it is likely next year that there will be another product raising safety concerns. No matter what the product, our goal as parents and providers is to try our best to provide a safe space for our children to explore, develop and grow.
