Safety Tips on Small Magnets
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Safety Tips on Small Magnets
Parents and caregivers are advised to be careful when letting children handle products with small magnets. These can be life threatening when accidentally swallowed.
Small, strong magnets are also increasingly being used in novelty items. Young children may mistake these colourful magnets for candy and swallow them. Children may also be attracted to fridge magnets that are made to look like food.
The danger arises when more than one magnet is swallowed over a short period of time. The magnets may get attracted to each other while travelling through the body and can damage intestinal walls as well as cause infection, blood poisoning and even death. When magnets are swallowed, emergency surgery is usually required.
Safety Tips
Before purchase:
- Read the age recommendations, safety warnings, and other instructions for use and follow them strictly.
- When buying products with magnets, ensure that they do not come off easily and become a choking hazard for young children.
During use:
- Supervise children when they are playing with toys that have magnets.
- Inspect toys regularly to ensure there are no loose magnetic pieces. Throw away those that are broke.
- Keep small magnets and items containing magnets out of children’s reach.
- If a child is suspected of swallowing a magnet, seek emergency medical help immediately.
- Warn children that small magnets and toys containing magnets should never be placed in their mouths.
- Share with other parents the potential dangers that small magnets can pose to children.