HEALTH CANADA WARNS PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS TO KEEP SMALL MAGNETS OUT OF REACH OF YOUNG CHILDREN
June 6, 2006
For immediate release
TORONTO – Health Canada is
alerting parents and caregivers of the hazards small,
loose magnets pose to young children. A wide range of children’s products
such as magnetic building toys, alphabet and number magnets, science
or craft kits, board games, vehicle sets, even plush toys, may contain
small magnets. In addition, small magnets attached to other items, such
as magnetic jewellery and fridge magnets, pose a potential problem if they
become disengaged from the item.
This advisory is prompted by
the recent death of a 20-month old child in
the United States as well as
three other US reports of multiple magnet
ingestion incidents and one
multiple magnet inhalation incident. These
serious incidents required
surgical intervention and involved children
aged three to eight years.
Health Canada is not aware of
any deaths of children in Canada related to magnet
ingestion or inhalation. Over an eleven year period, however, from 1993
to 2003, incident details have been recorded for 93 cases of magnet ingestion
and 3 cases of magnet inhalation involving children under 14 years.
While the majority of cases, 57%, involved children under three years
of age, who tend to put things in their mouths, the hazard may also be
relevant for older children who still mouth objects.
In addition to the choking
hazard presented by small magnets, if a child
ingests more than one magnet
over a short period of time and these pass beyond
the stomach, the magnets can then attract one another while travelling
through the intestines. When this happens the intestines can become
blocked, and the magnets can slowly tear through the intestinal walls.
The results can be very serious and even fatal. Magnetic building toys
may be particularly dangerous because the magnetic pieces are often small
and the magnets are very strong.
Below are tips to avoid such
incidents:
•
Keep products with small magnets out of the reach of young children.
Also, look for any small
magnets that may have been separated from toys
and other products and
immediately remove the magnets from the reach of young children.
•
Seek immediate medical care for any child who has swallowed, or is
suspected of having
swallowed, one or more magnets.
•
Follow the safety warnings and manufacturer's age recommendations on children's
toys, and keep toys intended for older children out of the
reach of younger children.
•
Children under three years of age frequently mouth objects -- small
toys, small balls or small
loose toy parts are dangerous choking,
ingestion and inhalation
hazards to children at this vulnerable stage -- they must be kept
out of reach. Similarly, keep small household items such as coins, magnets,
batteries, pen caps, paper clips and jewellery out of the reach of young
children. Know how your child plays -- this guidance can apply to some
older children who may still frequently mouth objects.
