Toy Warning: Magnetix
Magnetix and other magnet design toys may be lethal. Children have died from choking on the small parts and there are other dangers too.
A five-year-old boy died when the two magnets he swallowed joined two ends of his small intestine together, closing it off and forcing bacteria into the bloodstream. This isn’t a one off either. Another boy’s life was saved when emergency surgery found the magnets caught in his intestine.
Yet another reminder to keep an eye on our kids’ safety. Not necessarily hover and overprotect, but just be watchful.
Update: Magnetix has been recalled. Also don’t miss the over 100 comments that have been posted from parents whose children have swallowed Magnetix balls.
PlastWood, makers of SuperMag, is suing MEGA Brands for economic loss due to injuries associated with Magnetix.
ABC12.com, March 20, 2006
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POSTED IN: News and Links about Children's Things
249 opinions for Toy Warning: Magnetix
Jenmcd
Mar 20, 2006 at 5:42 pm
I am so thankful my kid was pretty orally defensive and didn’t like to put anything in his mouth. Of course, that did mean getting him to eat was a real pain, but you’ve seen pics of him, and he’s not wasting away or anything. LOL
Lei
Mar 21, 2006 at 5:10 am
Jenmcd: “orally defensive” LOL S has always been ok in that respect too but just like you said, sometimes hard to get him to try real food. Two sides to everything, right?
stefoodie
Mar 27, 2006 at 6:45 am
yikes, that’s scary! this is one of my kids’ favorite toys.
Lei
Mar 27, 2006 at 6:48 am
stefoodie: I suppose everything has its dangers. Personally, I don’t like magnet toys because I’m always afraid of what they’ll do to our electronic equipment! :P
Jmom
Mar 27, 2006 at 9:33 am
My nine year old son swallowed a magnetex ball,it was a scary moment. I didn’t know if it was toxic or not. I had never heard about any choking hazard with the toy. I threw the magnetix away. The Doctors are watching him closely to make sure the ball passes out of him. I would recommend all parents to throw out all magnetex toys. I’m just thankful he didn’t swallow the magnets. The company should have to recall all magnetex toys, before another parent loses a child.
Lei
Mar 27, 2006 at 9:38 am
Jmom: I’m so sorry to hear that! Crossing my fingers you’ll find the ball soon.
Melissa RN
Mar 30, 2006 at 10:20 pm
My son just had abdominal surgery to remove two pieces of the toy building set, called Magnetix, that he swallowed. The pieces stuck together from different places in his bowel and wore holes in the bowel walls over time. His intestines shut down, causing a life-threatening bowel obstruction. He was seriously ill. He now has about a 5 inch scar up the middle of his belly. By God’s grace he survived.
Watch the news in the coming weeks. Things are heating up. There have been several children injured and a few killed by this toy.
Lei
Mar 31, 2006 at 12:58 am
Melissa: That’s awful! I’m so glad to hear your son is ok now. Mine has been playing with his Magnetix this week. Maybe I’ll try to distract him and hide them away…. :( All the best to you and your family.
Justine
Mar 31, 2006 at 10:01 am
What makes me very angry about this is that the company did nothing after a child died last year and several children have become very sick. The recall should have been done before the Christmas season last year when this information was available. I will never buy another product from Rose Art.
Lei
Mar 31, 2006 at 10:05 am
Justine: You’re so right. It’s a terrible situation.
Melissa RN
Mar 31, 2006 at 3:39 pm
Check out this link about a recall…
http://www.news10.net/storyfull2.aspx?storyid=16769
Lei
Apr 1, 2006 at 4:05 am
Melissa: Thanks for the update. I’ve also posted an update.
Jmom
Apr 3, 2006 at 12:24 pm
We are still waiting for the steel magnetex marble to pass that my son swallowed nine days ago. The Doctors said it would pass, but it hasn’t yet. They have prescribed laxatives and now mineral oil,and a high fiber diet, but it hasn’t moved. We are praying that he won’t have surgery. I never heard anything negative about magnetex toys until this happened and now that’s all I hear. For myself I think it’s a little too late, the company should had notified the public about the choking hazard magnetex is.
Melissa RN
Apr 3, 2006 at 5:48 pm
I personally have not heard of any choking deaths from magnetix, but there is a risk of serious injury or death if swallowed (ingested) or inhaled.
I met with an investigator from the CPSC this afternoon. The ‘recall’ is not a real recall. Apparetnly Roseart has done a voluntary replacement program. If a comsumer wants to exchange the toy, Roseart will give them a free replacement toy with parts too big to be swallowed.
The regular Magneitx sets are STILL on the store shelves. Magnetix is a popular toy and big money maker. How many kids are going to have to die or be seriously injured before the toy gets recalled!
Melissa RN
Apr 3, 2006 at 6:01 pm
PS: There is a choking hazard warning on the box, but not an INGESTION warning.
Roseart received a certified letter in early Novermber of 2005 about a bowel injury/surgery from swallowing the magnets. Roseart did NOTHING to change the warning on the label or to warn the public - even after another (2-year-old) boy died from the same type of injury on Thankgsgiving Day later that month! Then Roseart LIED on national TV when they said they had no knowledge of any other injuries or deaths prior to the 2-year-old’s death. They KNEW and did NOTHING to protect children! They just sat there and sold as much as they could for Christmas - and they are still selling!
Lei
Apr 4, 2006 at 2:49 am
JMom: I’m so surprised it hasn’t come out yet! Hope the next bathroom trip will be the one. :(
Melissa RN: Thanks for keeping us posted on this.
Melissa RN
Apr 4, 2006 at 7:36 am
There are several lawsuits nationwide in different stages of the process. My attorney plans to file this week. There WILL be more heard about this. But publicity from any source will help.
Email/tell all your friends about the dangers of Magnetix and about Roseart’s apparent lack of concern for our children. They are profitting off of us, at the expense of our children’s safety.
Contact your local TV stations and ask why they are not reporting on this danger to children, and on Roseart’s lack of integrity.
Talk to the managers of the stores that carry Magnetix - better yet - mail/hand them letters (in writing is better) - mail/email the main offices of the corporations. Ask them why they are still selling this dangerous toy. Remind them that even though there hasn’t been a mandatory recall, the store can be sued right along with the manufacturer for injuries and deaths resulting from products they sell, so taking Magnetix off the shelves would be in the store’s best interest - not to mention in our children’s best interest.
Get the word out any way you can!
Lei
Apr 5, 2006 at 5:47 am
Melissa: You’re doing a great job getting the word out!
Jmom
Apr 7, 2006 at 12:24 pm
Melissa RN, how do I get the number for CPSC to let them know about my son ingested a magnetex ball. The ball is stuck inside his small intestine. He is going to see a surgeon Monday morning. Please any information, that you can give will help me. Thank you for getting this information out.
Melissa RN
Apr 7, 2006 at 12:48 pm
J-mom,
You can file a complaint online at http://www.cpsc.gov . The more formal complaints they have, the more power they have to recall the toy.
Check out KHOU channel 11 News in Houston. They interviewed me yesterday and have been running the story since the 10 O’Clock news last night. The story is on the website.
Hang in there. If your child is not having symptoms, it shouldn’t be too bad. God is good all the time. Pray and have faith.
Blessings,
Melissa
Regina
Apr 7, 2006 at 2:45 pm
I purchase the magnetex blocks for my grandsons for Easter. I learned about the dangers after reading the information on Marketplace. I returned these blocks to Walmart where I purchased them. They refund my money but I was ignored about the warnings copies which I had given them from Web sites.
However, the toys are still on their shelves here in Sydney River, Nova Scotia. Easter is just a week away and I am scared that children will receive them as gifts.
I am very concerned!
Regina
MelissaRN
Apr 8, 2006 at 11:11 am
I doubt the stores will pull Magnetix off the shelves without an official recall. It is a ‘best seller’, according to some retailers.
Play Library » Toy Talk #5: Magnets Can Kill
Apr 9, 2006 at 2:05 am
[…] You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your ownsite. […]
A Mom
Apr 14, 2006 at 6:01 pm
Melissa - If there is a link to your interview on KHOU Houston can you please post it? Would like to link to it on http://spaces.msn.com/magnetscankill
By the way you can find information there on the situation in Canada as well as the US.
Thanks to both Melissa RN and Jmom for reporting these incidents to the CPSC and publicizing their family’s frightening personal stories.
Unlike the hearing-aid-battery size cylindrical magnets, the larger balls in Magnetix are metal but not magnetized. But of course they are also a choking hazard and can cause intestinal problems if stuck as above.
We all hope your kids are recovering well from surgery.
Melissa RN
Apr 15, 2006 at 8:44 am
Here is the link to the news story about my son. You may have to register with KHOU and create a login to view it. They don’t ask for much information.
http://www.khou.com/news/local/houstonmetro/stories/khou060406_cd_magnets.dca7373.html
Jmom
Apr 17, 2006 at 6:40 am
It has been three weeks since my son swallowed the magnetex ball, and still hasn’t passed it. He had an endoscope done on Tuesday and the ball had moved after 16 days of being stuck in his small intestine. Now it is his large intestine and he is going for his 6th or 7th x-ray tomorrow. He’s feeling well, but he is tired of going to the doctor’s office. Melissa RN thanks for all the information that you are getting out there for all the parents who are clueless about the dangers of these toys. I pray that your son is recovered and doing well.
Melissa RN
Apr 17, 2006 at 3:39 pm
Jmom,
Make sure you file a complaint with the CPSC.gov even if your son ends up recovering without the need for surgery. They need all the information they can get, in the way of reported injuries, to increase the power they have to recall this toy.
My son is doing well, thank you. Glad your son is hanging in there. Hope the ball passes soon.
Play Library » New Warning Labels on Magnetix
Sep 16, 2006 at 2:08 pm
[…] Play Library readers have been sharing their stories in our original post: Toy Warning: Magnetix. […]
atkinsohana
Oct 1, 2006 at 2:18 pm
Jmom, my son just swallowed a steel ball from geomag. We are very concerned, but the poison center is telling us to monitor and wait it out. How is your son and did it pass. Do they know why it took so long to come out? Your response is very much anticipated and appreciated. Thanks.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Oct 1, 2006 at 2:53 pm
atkinsohana: Hope your son passes that steel ball ASAP! I’m emailed Jmom privately and hope she will come back to Play Library to update us.
Erika Soto
Oct 6, 2006 at 1:03 am
I am so relieved to find people with the same problem. My son (8 years old) swallowed the magnetix ball on Oct 2, 2006 and we were so afraid. He had could barelt breath and had to be rushed to the emergency room. It has not passed and we will be taking him for x-rays this Saturday. It has been pure chaos this week. He missed days of school and our lives have been put on hold until he rids himself of the ball. It troubles me dearly that it’s still on the shelves; gives me goose bumps just tinking about it. Another troubling factor is the cost of medical bills. We don’t have insurance and we are going to get bills from the hospital, ambulance and all other testing he will have done.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Oct 6, 2006 at 9:05 am
Erika: How horrible for your family! I hope that little ball makes its way out immediately. :(
atkinsohana
Oct 7, 2006 at 3:48 pm
Thank you Hsien-Hsien Lei….Hope fully JMom’s son is Ok. I am so sorry Erika, I pray for your son as well. Well, we have good news….Praise God! Our son passed his last night. After 4 B-movements, we had the procedure down…thank goodness for ziploc bags. I was so happy to squeeze and the silver ball was hard…this was after 6 days of waiting and trusting God. I knew that if we didn’t find it then we would have to do the xray thing…and then if it did pass in the doo doo, and we didn’t catch it…when are you sure that it is not in his body somewhere…what if it is in there and the xray just didn’t see it…We are so happy that he is back to normal, but yet so sad to hear that these toys are still causing big problems. Can’t wait to hear your good news reply Erika…For now…Aloha…
Erika Soto
Oct 8, 2006 at 1:07 am
I am very happy for your son and your family. Prayers are powerfull and I am trying to stay positive. The zip lock idea is smart; I am going to try it.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Oct 8, 2006 at 9:34 am
atkinsohana: Great news! Thanks for coming back to update us.
Erika: Get those bags ready! We’re waiting to hear for your good news too. *hugs*
Erika Soto
Oct 9, 2006 at 2:02 pm
Has anyone in this forum contacted an attorney because of the toy?
MelissaRN
Oct 10, 2006 at 10:09 am
Comment deleted at Melissa’s request.
Erika Soto
Oct 10, 2006 at 10:55 pm
Thank you Melissa. Being that you are a nurse; how long do you think this can take to come out? How long could it stay in his stomach? The docotr’s told me it can stay a month or more. I am scared of leaving that in there that long.
I contacted CPSC and they responded. I sent them more information and the letter will be going out to them tomorrow.
Thanks,
Erika
Shelley
Oct 12, 2006 at 11:36 pm
My 4 year old son swallowed a steel ball 5 days ago and it is still stuck in his stomach. Dr. keeps indicating it’d be best to wait for it to pass, but we’re not sure of the best route to take. We’re afraid to let it go and end up getting stuck in his intestines and causing additional damage.
Can anyone who has gone through this e-mail me personally and let me know the final outcome and what your doctors/specialist recommend?
Thanks!
MommaKnows
Oct 13, 2006 at 8:53 am
If the object is moving and your child is not ill, you are probably ok.
Suzy
Oct 19, 2006 at 10:12 am
Shelley,
Has the ball passed yet? My 3 1/2 yr old daughter swallowed that same ball on October 14. After reading what is on these posts, I’m getting really concerned. I’m not usually unsure of what the next step is but I’m totally clueless on this one! Any advise is surely appreciated!
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Oct 19, 2006 at 11:51 am
I think the key question is how many balls or magnetic parts your children have swallowed. Any more than one and you run the risk of having the pieces stick together and twisting the intestines. Best thing to do is see your physician and have your child eat lots of fiber and drink lots water to get their bowels moving!
MommaKnows
Oct 19, 2006 at 11:53 am
If all your child swallowed was a ball, she should be ok, and it should pass eventually. The problem is when a magnet and ball or more than one magnet get in different parts of the bowel and stick together through the walls, causing damage and a dangerous obstruction.
Talk to her doctor about getting serial x-rays to make sure the ball is moving. If it is, and she is not ill, you should be able to safely wait for it to pass. (see other posts about using the ziplock baggy method to check for the ball)
LisaMc
Oct 22, 2006 at 6:32 am
My 4 1/2 year old has just swallowed a ball today. The docs are saying here in Australia to wait it out for 4 days then if nothing has come out get an xray. After reading the above I am very nervous and wondering if I should get an xray earlier? THis toy should definitely be taken off the shelves!
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Oct 22, 2006 at 7:29 am
Lisa: Goodness. I hate seeing more children get hurt. For any parents out there with Magnetix or other similar magnetic toys, please be sure to count the pieces and keep a close eye on your kids!
Suzy
Oct 22, 2006 at 8:48 am
Good News! 5 Days after my daughter swallowed the ball, we went to the childrens hospital, had a fantastic Dr who said that the ball would pass and that it shouldn’t hurt her. Took her to lunch and by the time we got home there it was! She never even realized what had happened. Needless to say, we were extremely relieved. When I went into a Target the other day, shelves lined with the Magnetix! I was very surprised because I thought that they had been taken off of the shelf. As we find more of the steel balls & magnets, we have just been throwing them away. I hope that she learned her lesson but it was very non tramatic for her so we’re not taking any chances.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Oct 22, 2006 at 9:36 am
Suzy: Yay! Thanks for coming back and letting us know your daughter is ok.
Erika
Oct 26, 2006 at 12:34 am
Hi all,
My son has an appointment on Nov 3rd. They are going to set up a hospital date. The ball did not pass and remains in his stomack. There has been no movement since the first X-Ray on 10/6/06. I can’t believe all of the stress and hardship this toy has done to our family. We have no medical insurance and don’t qualify for state programs. It has been really difficult.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Nov 10, 2006 at 8:14 am
Erika: How did your son’s appointment go? Hope everything went well. *hugs*
Danielle
Nov 10, 2006 at 11:54 am
WOW my 3 year old son swallowed a Magnetix ball last night. The hospital acted like it was no big deal. At first I didnt know if he had more than one ball in him or magnets…and the hospital I took him to did not have a pediatrician on staff. this hospital had never heard of this recall. Now i am hearing from a pediatric nurse at Childrens hospital of Pennsylvania that these balls are toxic? And this hospital ALWAYS removes the balls. hmmmm anyone know anything about this?
Danielle
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Nov 10, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Danielle: I would definitely take your son to your personal physician and print out some of these stories.
Danielle
Nov 10, 2006 at 3:07 pm
Thanks for your quick reply! i already contacted him and he said that if poison control claims they are non toxic than wait til he passes it! i am just reading these stories and praying he does! i saw some didn’t pass them for weeks to months! and he cant go to daycare until i have proof that he passed it. i cant expect the daycare to check the stool. so still waiting to hear back from C.H.O.P to see what the specialist there recommends.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Nov 10, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Danielle: Thanks for coming back and telling us what’s going on! It’s so frightening to hear of these kiddos swallowing these powerful magnets. Better get those high fiber foods going and some ziploc bags too! Please come back and let us know when your son passes the ball.
A Mom
Nov 10, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Hi Danielle, Shelley, LisaMc (Australia)- If you have a magnetic building set or magnetic figure in your house and you THINK you child MAY have swallowed even ONE metal ball, magnet, or piece that contains a magnet, you should definitely get one or more X-rays done. There is a chance that even though you think your child just ate one metal ball, he actually also swallowed a loose magnet at some other time. In many cases documented over the last 2 years, magnets have fallen out of Magnetix and Magna Man toys, or the magnets come out of the ends due to the attractive forces of the other metal parts/magnets. Unfortunately, you are not alone! Avoid an MRI which could cause serious damage to your child, but get plenty of x-rays. What you are looking for is anything else in addition to the one metal ball. The balls may be corrosive and toxic, but many docs will follow the standard protocol to wait for it to come out. BUT if the radiologist finds anything ELSE on the images, like even one tiny cylindrical magnet, then you need to think about endoscopic or regular surgery to get the pieces out before they perforate organs.
JMom, atkinsohana, Suzy - Even though in your cases the metal marble/ball successfully passed, I am so disappointed to hear that even after all the recall publicity after March 31, some doctors are not having you get an X-Ray immediately when you say your child swallowed a metal ball from a Magnetix set. The standard practice SHOULD BE to have an x-ray right away to see if any magnets were also swallowed when mom and dad weren’t looking.
If your poison control center, physician or emergency room is clueless, ask them to go to MAGNETSCANKILL or have them call Dr. Alan Oestreich or Dr. Marsha Kay. They know what to do.
JMom - Glad your son got the Xrays and the ball eventually passed.
MelissaRN - It is so tragic that your son had to have surgery to remove the magnets, but we are all glad he eventually recovered (although with a horrible 5-inch scar), and thankful that early on you helped spread the word about the problems with these toys.
Erika - We are worried about your son who you said swallowed a Magnetix ball on October 2nd and had his first X-Ray Oct. 6th. How did the appointment go on Nov. 3rd, has their been some progress?
Thank you to those of you who filed a complaint with http://www.cpsc.gov. Suzy mentioned that they found and threw away more magnets after her daughter passed the ball. Please, those of you who have had a child swallow a ball or any other toy part, OR found loose or dislodged magnets from any magnetic toy part, contact the CPSC. Parents can file a report by phone or online. They have not closed their investigation yet and still have power to take action. Yes, 13 or 15 families settled with Mega Brands, Inc. in October, but the waters are very murky regarding whether the toys that were sold after March 31 are still defective or unreasonably dangerous.
As part of the settlement negotations with the families, Mega Brands agreed to add the following warning label on some of their toys:
CAUTION:
Do not ingest or inhale magnets. Attraction
of magnets in the body may cause serious
injury and require immediate medical care.
I have been shopping lately and I noticed this label is not on all their magnetic brands - not sure which ones the company agreed to place it on. Hopefully this very graphic language will scare away anyone with young kids in their house who could put things in their mouth (lots of kids older than 3 still do!).
And if you weren’t already overwhelmed with the hazards of Magnetix, get ready for a new onslaught of cutting edge mega-power magnetic toys from Mega Brands of Canada (the new owners of Rose Art)! They have lots of new commercials and web campaigns for MagnaMan, Mag Warriors, Magnawheels, Magnabug, Magnasaurs, the Magnetix huge carrying case than gets stuck by magnetic power to the other boy’s Magnetix carrying case, etc.
Toy consumers - I recommend you never buy Magnetix Micro. Why even mess with balls and powerful magnetic rods so small that a child could swallow a handful at once?
And for your preschoolers, Mega Brands has released new product lines called Magnetix Jr., Magtastik, and Magnimals. Unlike the other toys where the labels have been changed to 6-100 or 8+, these are targeted for boys and girls ages 3-6. Although most of the parts are much larger than Magnetix and have a Small Parts warning label, there is no word yet from the CPSC on whether these toys are actually safe for 3-year olds. In many of the toys you can still see the metal flashing at the ends of the pieces, meaning the magnets are NOT fully enclosed in hard plastic. If you don’t trust Mega Brands, you may wish to avoid these toys for XMas too.
Sincerely, a concerned mom
http://magnetscankill.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!2D1D817F593A1CA0!919.trak
Danielle
Nov 10, 2006 at 9:34 pm
We did get 4 x rays last night. They only saw the ball. hopefully he just passes it with no harm done! how long do you think i should wait???
Danielle
Nov 12, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Well day 4 and my son is crying with stomach pains! Dr. told us go straight to the ER! we shall see!!
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Nov 12, 2006 at 4:45 pm
Daniell: Poor little guy! Hopefully it just means the poop is ready to come out. :( Please keep us posted!
Erika
Nov 13, 2006 at 1:21 am
Thank God my son passed the ball on 11/8/06. He was scheduled to have in removed in the hospital the day after. I took him to a specialist and he suggested he sleep on his right side and any chance he had he needed to be laying on his right side. The oppening the ball needs to travel through is on the right side of the stomach and the weight of the ball was not allowing it to go through the oppening. My son had it in his system for 5 weeks and thankfully he is now better.
Thank you all
Erika
Danielle
Nov 13, 2006 at 10:31 am
Wow good to hear we made a 2nd trip to the hospital last night of course we waited 4 hours when they told me there were 14 people in front of us to be seen! i ended up coming home and called the doc this morning to bring him for xrays. he is complaining his belly hurts!
Lisa
Nov 20, 2006 at 3:16 pm
My 5 year old swallowed a silver magnetic ball last Monday. Thank God it finally passed yesterday. It was six days of terrible worry! I wish I would have known how dangerous these Magnetix toys are. I can’t believe they are still on the shelves! I wish everybody would stop buying them. Please tell anyone with children to avoid them!
Danielle
Nov 20, 2006 at 7:27 pm
My son did finally pass the ball!!! YAY!!!!! thank go he doesnt need surgery :) i went christmas shopping and wheni saw the magnetix on the shelf i wanted to puke!! just makes me sick!
Lisa
Nov 20, 2006 at 11:26 pm
I’m so glad your son passed the ball yesterday, too. I know what you mean about wanting to puke that they still sell this toy. What does it take before they stop making it! It’s awful that they can get away with it!
Danielle
Nov 20, 2006 at 11:38 pm
It cracks me up how many people actually blame the parents. The toy is marked for older kids i agree….but in a blink of an eye as we all know a child can grab any small object and swallow it! My 3 year old eats EVERYTHING!! he has swallowed Downy (empty bottle on floor!) a little sip of nail polish remover that he found in the trash can! and this weeknd sprayed Lysol in his mouth! (that was all my fault I left it righ on the counter :( i feel horrible! But yes he is the one i am goingto get my early gray hairs from! JUST GLAD HE PASSED THE BALL!!!
Play Library » Magnetic Polly Pocket Play Sets Recalled
Nov 25, 2006 at 1:46 pm
[…] What is it with magnets and toys? I’ve already written extensively about problems with children’s swallowing pieces from the Magnetix toy range. Many Play Library readers have written in to share their personal experience. […]
Charlie
Nov 29, 2006 at 11:25 am
Staggering! Do the manufacturers not test these things? More likely, the testing is done after a lot of money has been put into development, so maybe they cut corners.
My kids have had these type of toys and have thankfully survived. It might not have been so.
I have alsways trusted known brands. The manufacturers must take more resposibility.
JODY
Jan 3, 2007 at 6:52 pm
MY 5 YR OLD JUST SWALLOWED A MAGNETIX BALL….! I MADE HIM DRINK A LARGE GLASS OF PRUNE JUICE AND I HAVE ZIPLOC BAGS READY. I HOPE IT PASSES SOON.
JODY
Jan 3, 2007 at 6:53 pm
MY 5 YR OLD JUST SWALLOWED A MAGNETIX BALL 1-2-07… GETTING RID OF THE TOY!!! HOPING IT PASSES SOON.
AROBBINSRED
Jan 12, 2007 at 12:09 am
My 4 year old son swallowed one of the Magnetix balls last night. It freaked him out when he did it (I think because he knew he shouldn’t of had it in his mouth). I called my pediatricians office this morning and they said to monitor him and make him drink lots of liquids. I sort of related this incident to a child swallowing a penny, thinking he would pass it within a day or so. After reading all the other postings I am extremely worried. I have searched all over the web looking to find out what the balls are made of and of course I couldn’t find anything. My initial fear was poisoning but now I am worried about possible bowel obstructions. He had one BM this evening and it wasn’t there. He is acting normal at the present time. I am praying he passes it soon. I had no idea there was a recall or so many problems with them. If I would have known, I would have thrown them away sooner.
I am taking him to his pediatrician tomorrow and demanding an x-ray. I want to know exactly where it is. I am praying for all of the children that have been negatively affected by this toy.
Suzy
Jan 12, 2007 at 10:36 am
My daughter swallowed one of the balls back in October, took about 5 days before it passed. We thru all of the magnetix away as we found them. That was extremely stressful! Then, on November 9, a friend from church had a 22 month old daughter who was eating pretzels. She was a jumping child and jump one time. That preztel got lodged down in her windpipe and there was nothing that they could do to save that little girl. I only pass this on because I was so relieved when my daughter passed that steel ball and then this happened just weeks after. Of course this family is completely devastated, they had to go thru Thanksgiving, Christmas and then Jan 10 would have been her 2 yr birthday. I am soooo thankful that my daughter and each of your children have come thru this ok. Please remember this family in your prayers and PLEASE make your children sit down while they eat.
AROBBINSRED
Jan 12, 2007 at 11:58 pm
Suzy: That is very sad about the little girl that died from the pretzel lodged in her throat.
I took my son to the pediatrician today and had some x-rays taken. The ball has made its way through the digestive system okay. It is in his rectum now awaiting to be dispelled. The pediatrician said she normally waits 10 days for the foreign object to pass before she seeks more “extreme” measures. I was a little surprised to hear that. I am a second year X-ray student and I have never heard of waiting so long. The normal course of digestion is 24 to 48 hours. I couldn’t wait 10 days. I am thankful to know the ball has made it through the major portions of digestion. Now we can rest a little easier. I wish it could be that easy for everyone. My heart goes out to the families that have lost their precious angels. All of the families that are affected by this toy are in my prayers.
Michelle
Jan 18, 2007 at 5:21 pm
My 4 yr old daughter has an appt with her doctor tomorow because she swallowed the Magnetx ball 3 days ago and it has still not passed. I contacted Rose Art yesterday concerned about the content of the ball. She explained to me that it was steel and “federally regulated” amount of LEAD. I’m concerned about lead poisoning at this point. The longer it stays in her body, wouldn’t her chances of being poisoned increase? Anyone heard of this?
Danielle
Jan 18, 2007 at 6:03 pm
My son took about 10 days and believe me worry worry worry :( but….that ziplock baggie is a wonder! felt it instantly i was sooooo relived!!!!! good luck and keep us posted!
MN mom
Jan 21, 2007 at 3:10 pm
Well I feel a bit redundant writing this but here goes….
My 5 yr. old son swallowed a Magnetix ball 5 days ago. The ER took xrays and it was in his intestines within 2 hours of swallowing it! Still waiting for it to pass. Michelle- I too am most concerned about the possible lead content in the balls. Poison control said they were ok. but they are not manufactured in US so I wonder what’s really in them. He has a fever today also. I am thinking of going in for a lead test and waiting for dr. on call to call back.
Danielle
Jan 21, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I called poison control and the Pediatrician as well and they all agreed there is no lead, there are however HIGH amounts of Zinc. which doesn’t hurt or poison the child, but I found it made my son constipated BAD!!! so just keep an eye on his BM’s they may get hard!
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Jan 22, 2007 at 5:41 am
Danielle: Thanks for the helpful info!
Robert
Jan 29, 2007 at 1:44 am
My 3 yr old son swallowed the ball on 1/17. Called Pediatrician. Said not to worry as kids swallow coins and even wedding rings. Told us to wait 3 days it should pass. Didn’t.
Took him in for xrays 8 days later and ball was still in stomach. Pediatrician called experts and prescribed medicine and metamucil. Gave us 3 days for the ball to pass otherwise going in for surgery or through throat (some-scopically).
TOday it passed naturally.
MN mom
Feb 10, 2007 at 12:29 pm
All is well that ends well- I guess! It took my son 11 days to pass the magnetix ball. It was a bit scary because for the last 6 days of it he had a fever of 102, was put on pennicillin, but was finnaly determined to have the flu through a blood test the day before it passed. All in all we had 5 chest xrays, 2 ER visits, and various clinic visits. When they did the blood work for the flu I requested a lead test also. That resulted in normal levels and it was take on day 10 of having the ball in his system (It was only in his stomach for the first 2 hours, the rest of the time it was in his intestines.).
One suprise was that the ball was black when it passed. I was looking for the steel/shiny ball that went in!
My prayer are with you all in this stressful time.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Feb 10, 2007 at 12:32 pm
MN mom: Thanks for coming back to update us and so relieved to hear a happy ending.
momof2
Feb 16, 2007 at 1:20 pm
oh my gosh! i’m so glad i found this website! my 3 year old swallowed a magnetix ball last night and although she isn’t having any problems, i panicked all night, finally calling the doctor this morning. they told me to wait it out until it passes, so i have my fingers crossed that it passes soon. i had no idea that there was such a hazard to these toys! we have thrown away all the magnetix pieces and i will be warning everyone i know who has kids! good luck to everyone!
cindy
Feb 16, 2007 at 5:58 pm
My son had one stuck in his stomach for about 5 days now. He’s been to the Dr. for an x-ray and we have to go back on Thursday. The doctor says we should go back for another x-ray. He’s also encouraged me to give him plenty of fluids and food. I am hoping that this will encourage stomach churning.Can anyone help with information.
Dad
Feb 18, 2007 at 10:53 pm
My 9 yr old daughter swallowed a steel ball couple days ago. We called doctor and the nurse said to wait for 72 hrs to see if it passes out. It hasn’t so far…we are taking her to the doctor tomorrow.
sue
Feb 22, 2007 at 12:25 pm
my 8yr old son swallowed a magnetix ball last night after choking he vomited but no ball came out doctor requested an xray asap and to see if lead was in the ball after researching number after number i talked to magnetix and informed me there is some lead in the ball which is not good i will be leaving to go to hospital will keep you posted throw away those balls or get refunded . just a warning if something bad comes out of this i have this documented. fyi there is lead in magnetix so beware!!!!
Marie
Feb 22, 2007 at 1:07 pm
My 9 year old daughter swallowed a magentix ball yesterday. She actually choked on it first and then ingested it. She was so scared and crying. I really thought that it’s small and should pass no problem. Then I figured I’d just google it today and I’m really amazed at how often this has happened. In a sense I was releived to see that we’re not the only ones but this is really serious and could take weeks to pass! I’m still not sure whether I should take my daughter to her pediatrician or just wait for it to pass. She hasn’t had a fever or vomiting. Nothing out of the norm. I will check back on you all as well as keep you posted.
Melanie
Mar 5, 2007 at 8:53 pm
My 4 year old son swallowed a magentix ball one week ago. I am taking him in for x-rays today. We haven’t seen the ball pass. We will have to see. We are in Korea so this could get very complicated.
anotherball
Mar 6, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Another ball swallowed by a 5 year old boy. It is pretty scary isn’t it ya’ll? Thank you all for posting follow ups, they have comforted me greatly. He swollowed it earliet this evening and we are starting day 1 of the prayerfully short wait. I will be working to get this product off the shelf!
Erika
Mar 6, 2007 at 11:09 pm
Thank God my son passed the ball on 11/8/06. He was scheduled to have in removed in the hospital the day after. I took him to a specialist and he suggested he sleep on his right side and any chance he had he needed to be laying on his right side. The oppening the ball needs to travel through is on the right side of the stomach and the weight of the ball was not allowing it to go through the oppening. My son had it in his system for 5 weeks and thankfully he is now better.
Thank you all
Erika
Trisha
Mar 7, 2007 at 4:57 pm
OMG i am so mortified. My six year old choked on the magnetix ball on feburary 22, He wasn’t breathing at first, i tried to do the hymlic four times and got nothing, finally i had to call 911 and he had to go to the emergency room by ambulance(ofcoarse it took my small town ems 20 minutes to get here wich is a totally different issue but by the time they got there he was breathing okay again). Anyhow, he had to get three different xrays , missed two days of school and it took until march 1st to pass it. That was a week of hell i must say i was so worried. Now i am worried about the coating on the ball, because the ball that came out was black and weighed significantly alot less than the original ball. I feel for all of you as i just went through this and i can’t believe these things are still on the shelfs today. It was however helpful to find this site and have someonelse understand what i have went through in the past few weeks.I will keep all of you in my prayers especially the ones who are still waiting for it to pass as i know how stressful that is.
Trisha
Wendy
Mar 10, 2007 at 5:09 pm
My five year old son swollowed a magnetix ball March 7th. He told us about it this morning (3 days later). We took him to the ER and after X-Ray it is still there. We now have to play the wait game. He had a BM today but no ball yet…. I am with the rest of you and can’t believe that this is a common thing and these toys are still sold.
deanna
Mar 10, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Well I am glad to hear that everyone’s child has passed the magnetix ball. My son is 7 years old and last night he swallowed the ball. We were at the emergency rooms from 6:30pm until 2:30am. After the long night, we were told to go home and wait it out. He had 1 bowel movement when we came home from the doctors and that little boy flushed before we could get there. so now we don’t know if it passed or not. But we will still be on the lookout for it. I will keep everyone updated. Please keep us informed about all of these issues.
deanna
Trisha
Mar 13, 2007 at 9:07 am
I took my son back to the doctor yesterday because every since he choked on the ball he has been clearing his throat constantly and he laryngitis cause by the ball stretching the larynix out and causing inflammation. The doc said it will take atleast a month to heal and i should not even make another appointment until then. So what i thought was over is still very much here. My husband wants me to start calling lawyers , does anyone know of any that would take a case like this?
Deanna-more than likely your son didn’t pass it that first time anyhow, it took my son an entire week to pass. Good luck, i hope he passes it soon!!
Trisha
Tisha
Mar 14, 2007 at 10:07 pm
My son is almost 6 and I have never had a problem with him putting anything in his mouth before. So tonight he told me he put the magnetix ball in his mouth and he accidently swallowed it. I am really worried but not as much now as I was before I found this website. I really hope that this diesn’t cause any major damage I will just die if something happens to him. I will contact the doctor tomorrow and I really hope that everyones children are doing ok and I hope that these toys are taken off the shelves.
Cynthia
Mar 14, 2007 at 10:25 pm
I have never had a problem with my 4 year old son putting any toys in his mouth. Then about a month ago, he told me that he had accidentally swallowed a magnetix ball. I was in a panic. I immediately called the pediatrician, and he advised me to go to the E.R. so he could get x-rays. Luckily my son only swallowed the ball and not one of the magnetic pieces also. In the emergency room, I could see the ball very clearly in the x-ray. The doctor advised me to feed him more than normal, as to help induce bowel movements. I also gave him extra fiber in his diet to also help him go to the bathroom. After 5 days I was to take him for a follow-up with his doctor and repeat the x-ray. I was stunned to see that the ball had not moved. I was so scared. It took 2 weeks for him to finally pass the ball in his stool. I am so amazed that it took that long for it to pass. I feel for all of the parents who are also having to deal with this nightmare.
anotherball
Mar 14, 2007 at 10:30 pm
My 5 yo passed it in 3 days, record time. I am praying that God will shrink those that have been swallowed by others and that others who children do swallow them will find this site as it was such a comfort. Happy “squishing”.
Stacy
Mar 17, 2007 at 3:26 pm
My 7 yr old son swallowed 10 Magnetix steel balls! We rushed him to the ER after he told us he swallowed 3, but the X ray showed 10. We were at the the hospital all night and returned this morning for Xrays. The balls seem to be moving down so we are praying that they pass soon! We will watch him for a few days to see if they pass and if not will most likley have surgery. These toys need to be removed completely off the the shelves!
Stacy
Katy, TX
Lisa
Mar 22, 2007 at 10:14 pm
My daughter Abby ,4, swallowed one 8 days ago. We had an x-ray today and it seems to be lodged in the large intestine. When the tech and I looked at the size of this ball to her body, I just don’t know how in the world it will pass. The doctor is supposed to call me tomorrow. For now we are waiting! Count me as one of the members of poop control. I am so angry!
deanna
Mar 23, 2007 at 8:38 am
Thanks for the reply trisha. He didn’t end up pooping it out that first day, but it did happen 3 days later. So, he swallowed his on Friday and pooped it out on Monday. I had lead tests done and everything is A O.K. For all of you that still have that ball in there, I know it is hard, but my doctor said that it could stay in there for atleast a month. He also told me that pretty much any more that our bodies can pass ALMOST anything and that the ball is round and surrounded by secretion and in most cases. Lisa just make sure you are looking for black and silver so you don’t miss it. I am sure that it will pass soon. Good luck, deanna
Tisha
Mar 23, 2007 at 3:59 pm
I had left a message on March 14th about my son swallowing a magnetix ball. Well he passed it on March 16th it only took a day to pass through his body which I am so thankful for. I feel really bad that your children aren’t passing it quickly. All I know is that my son is laughing about it and telling all his friends that “my mother was playing in my poop”. I didn’t find it funny. My prayers go out to all you mothers and fathers dealing with this and hopefully something comes of all this.
Lisa
Mar 24, 2007 at 11:47 pm
My 5 year old son swallowed a metal ball back in November and it took 6 days to pass. And, yes it was completely black. But, the advice about laying on the right side whenever possible is great! I don’t know if it was coincidence or not but the night before my son passed the ball I kept going into his room turning him on his right side and earlier in the day had him watch TV. while laying on his right side. Also, as much water as you can get them to drink really seems to help, too. My prayers are with all of you and your children. I check back often to read the updates and just feel for all of you. I tell as many people as I can about how dangerous these toys are. I just wish we could all get them to stop production on them. Good luck to you all.
Mommy if guilt!
Mar 26, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Well about 2 hours ago my 4 year old son also swallowed a ball! I had NO IDEA what a problem these toys were! My son never puts things in his mouth, he came immediatly to me crying and saying he was so sorry but he had just swallowed a ball. He said he wanted to know how it would feel in his mouth. The truth is they are shiny and weighted in such a way that they are enticing to children. For this I feel like a foolish mother. I should never have let him get those. He just loved them so much. NEVER AGAIN will I have those toys or any like them in my home! I am going off what you all have written, I will wait for it to pass for a few days, if nothing I will get an x ray. You are all great parents and I hope this ends up being ok for us too.
Melanie
Mar 26, 2007 at 6:27 pm
It has been a month since my son swallowed the metal ball. I can’t get his doctor to order an Xray, so I tried his Orthopedist. He wouldn’t do it either. (He did have a complete set done of his feet, for something else.) The general consenses is it has passed. I can’t get anyone alarmed. We did not do the poop check, I didn’t think to until I found this site, and by then it was too late? We hope. So I guess I won’t know one way or another. The thing is with this kid, he’ll break something or need stiches in the near future, and I will try again. Just remember to demand an Xray before he has a MRI! Good luck!
Play Library » Not All Magnetic Toys Are Dangerous: SuperMag vs Magnetix
Mar 28, 2007 at 6:09 pm
[…] most basic question is: Why are children swallowing magnetic balls? One mother left a comment here at Play Library […]
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Mar 29, 2007 at 5:21 am
Thanks for sharing your stories, everyone. FYI, the makers of SuperMag is now suing MEGA Brands for ruining the magnetic toy market with defective Magnetix toys. Unreal, right?
Jenny
Mar 30, 2007 at 6:13 am
Hsien-Hsien Lei why unreal? I’ve never heard of a case of children eating the magnetic rod of SuperMag, as they are big and the magnets do not dislodge from teh plastic. My children play with it all the time, before they used to have Magentix, but I bought them a bocx Supermag at FAO last Xmas. They say it’s much better and forgot about magnetix (which I’ve now hidden from them). I think it’s not fair to generalize and think that all magnetic toys are dangerous, while in fact they are very creative and children love it, at least mine do.
Hsien-Hsien Lei
Mar 30, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Jenny: I meant unreal in the sense that this has gone so far that one company is suing another for destruction of the market. I would have thought that the issue with Magnetix would have been resolved long ago but the problems still continue to persist as you can see from all the comments from parents here. As for what children are swallowing, there are cases of children swallowing anything and everything including marbles and other small toy parts so that is definitely REAL.
Jenny
Mar 30, 2007 at 12:13 pm
Yes.. you are right! This case has really gone too far.. and today I’ve heard of another family that has sued Magnetix.. when are they going to take that product out of the shelves?
Mommy of guilt!
Mar 30, 2007 at 3:30 pm
I just wanted to let you know that my son has passed his marble and is doing fine It only took 4 days and a lot of raisins! LOL! Best of luck to those still waiting. This toy has been removed from my home and I have been telling everyone that I Know of the Hazards of this toy,
KERRY
Apr 18, 2007 at 9:34 am
i came across this website when i thought i would do some research about my 5 year old son who swallowed “that” marble. I had to be insistant with the GP to even do a X-Ray, and guess what just like many others it is lodged. Have had a second X-ray only to find that it is in the same spot..i cant believe it can take weeks to come out. Finally got refered to the Childrens Hosiptal at Westmead who seem rather casual about the whole affair will have to go back in another wo days for 3rd xray hopefully it will be out by then, i am gratefully about hearing these stories and will give a printout to the doctor, still cant believe he swallowed it
Play Library » More Magnetix Magnetic Toys Recalled
Apr 20, 2007 at 1:29 pm
[…] personal encounter with Magnetix magnets coming loose, share your experience with other parents in our previous post about Magnetix. children, family, kids, magnetic toys, magnetix, magnets, parenting, play, recalls, toys Add to: […]
Its_Not_A_BallBearing_Its_A_Childs_Toy
Apr 28, 2007 at 2:08 am
I just got home from the hospital with my son. He swallowed one of the Magnetix steel balls ONE MONTH ago. When it happened I thought the steel ball would easily pass through his system. Well it did not.
While cleaning my house this past week I came across the directions which come with the Magnetix toys. My eyes bulged as I read and soon began to think about the metallic composition of the steel balls. If the ball had not been passed and was still in his system I was worried about what the metallic concentrations might do.
The next day I expressed my ‘re-surfacing’ worries
about the steel ball my son swallowed to his daycare provider. She jokingly told her husband to go and get his metal detector. Low and behold my son went off! We tested myself, daycare mom and another child…nothing. Back to my son, he went off again! I could not believe it! I took him to his doctor who performed an xray right away. There it was, a 1/2 inch diameter steel ball clearly visible iniside of him. A specialist was called who immediately worked us into his schedule the next day.
The steel ball had to be ’scoped’ out. My 4 year old son was to be put to sleep to remove this ‘ball bearing’, as everyone kept referring to it as. I of course corrected everyone by stating, “It’s not a bearing, it’s a child’s toy!”
The weight of the steel ball is what prevented it from being passed. Choking hazard?! How about rewriting the warnings stating “If swallowed it may never come out!”
I am outraged. Especially when I Google’d the word ‘MAGNETIX’ and the first thing that pops up is “Child’s Death Prompts Replacement Program of Magnetic Building Sets”. Searching link after link lead me here. You can guarantee MegaBrands and CPSC are next on my list. I am going to file an incident report on this.
After walking into the recovery room and seeing my baby groggy eye’d and barely able to sip water because his throat hurt so bad from the tools which had to be placed down his throat to retrieve this ‘BALL BEARING’ , I’m sorry, I mean CHILD’S TOY, I will do all I can to ensure everyone in my vocal and internet range knows how dangerous this toy truly is!
Trish
Apr 28, 2007 at 10:45 am
make sure you contact the cpsc asap. my son choked on the steel ball and had to be rushed to the e.r. Nobody seemed to make a big deal of it but when i sent my whole story to the cpsc they filed a full investigation. The magnetix have been re-recalled but i still do not see anything about the steel balls themselfs so please file a report, the more people that file the more it will be paid attention to. I tried to file a lawsuit agains them but everyone kept saying that since he didnt have permanent damage i didn’t have a case , however your child had to get his surgically removed so you may want to check into that. This company NEEDS TO RELIZE THAT THIS PRODUCT IS NOT SAFE FOR A CHILD OF ANY AGE.
I hope that your little one is going to come out of this okay. My son only had his in him a week and i just can’t immagine if it had been dragged on a month.
Sommer
May 2, 2007 at 8:09 pm
My son swallowed one of the balls a few minutes ago, and I am HORRIFIED reading all of this! I remember when my daughter swallowed a quarter, and I rushed her to emergency. The doctors all kind of chuckled, and said to wait it out and watch for it to pass. But reading these posts of the weight of the ball and getting stuck in the intestinal tract– this is scaring me. Please keep me posted on the outcome of your situations.
chantel
May 4, 2007 at 1:06 am
my son swallowed one of the balls on may 1st and we are waiting for it to pass
Mia
May 6, 2007 at 1:35 pm
Add us to the list. My six year old son came to me crying today, I had been in the shower, he told me that he swallowed the metal ball to the magnetix set. I asked him if he swallowed anything else and he said no. I had no idea of the recall, until this happened and I was looking up information online. Now I am very worried, especially after reading all of the above. Why was the recall kept so quiet? Why do we have to find out about these things the hard way? I’m very worried. He said his throat is no longer hurting. I’m still shaking.
Jeana
May 6, 2007 at 10:42 pm
My son might have swallowed a magnetix ball two weeks ago. He came to me and spit two of the balls out but I don’t know if he had more in his mouth that he might have swallowed. I have been worrying about this for two weeks. He has thrown up 4 times since Friday I thought he had the flu because it was going around daycare but after finding this site and reading all these stories I am taking my son to Doctor tomorrow!! I am throwing my older sons magnetix away
Andie
May 6, 2007 at 11:16 pm
My 6 year old son swalled the steel ball earlier today. He came to me and told me what he had done. I took him to the emergency clinic and he had an X-ray done. The ball was just going down into his small intestine. I was also very concerned about the lead content of the ball. I hope it passes soon.
Sommer
May 10, 2007 at 2:16 pm
My son passed his ball last night– Hooray!!!!!!!!!! It took about 7 days. Now I am a bit worried about what I am reading here regarding lead– not only are these a choking hazard, but they are made of lead??? Good Lord, why are these things still on the shelves?! Please inform me of anything you hear regarding lead issues.
Another Magnetix Toy Recall
May 20, 2007 at 9:52 pm
[…] is quite evident from the many comments that Hsien received on this post, many Play Library readers are very concerned about the Magnetix toys and the hazards involved with […]
BigDaddy
May 26, 2007 at 7:31 pm
On thursday evening, my 8-year-old autistic son swallowed a Magnetix ball. He told me he “ate the silver ball”. I fed him lots of prunes and water. We exercised a lot (jumped on the trampoline for hours) tho I don’t know if that helped any. He passed the ball just 2 days later on second bowel movement. He refused to go in a zip lock baggie so I locked all bathroom doors except one so he wouldn’t go when I wasn’t looking. In the one bathroom I left open, I turned off the water leading to the toilet then flushed. That way my son could go in the water but couldn’t flush. Once he went poo, I picked it out with chopsticks and placed the poo in a ziplock. Worked like a charm.
Robin
Jun 10, 2007 at 9:43 pm
My 7 year old son swallowed a magnetix ball this evening. I called the pediatrician and she said not to worry it would pass. My son already has constipation issues and am very concerned about it getting stuck. How long should I wait to demand an x-ray?
Mike
Jun 25, 2007 at 12:24 am
Our 3 yr. old daughter swallowed one of the steel balls from her older sisters magnetics set. I contacted our local hospital and they said they would start with an x-ray and then wait it out for a few days. Just wondering if I’m a “bad dad” for not taking her in for the x-ray? My wife and I are very concerned, but as I can see not a lone with this dilema.
Jen
Jul 5, 2007 at 2:36 pm
My 5 year old son swollen a magnetix ball on June 30…he recently just told us of this mishap. We took him in to get an xray today and found that the ball had reached his large intestine which means it moved through the stomach and small intestine (took 5 days to get that far). Our Dr. said it should come out in the next 3 days or so…and to collect his poo and check it until it does:( If it doesn’t come out by next week he will need a follow up xray to see why it hasn’t moved. I feel for everyone here. My son got an 8 peice set of magnetix from the “treasure chest” in his Dentist’s office over a year ago…I think we’ll request a toothbrush next time!
melodee
Jul 11, 2007 at 10:17 am
My 6 year old swolled a steel ball on friday night, this now being 5 days ago. When we had the xray done at the hospital that night it was down in the left hand side of his xray! Today still in the exact same spot! I took him to the dr cause he was feeling unwell today, like he was gonna throw up! She has ordered laxatives and prune juice. I have to wait two days for the 3rd xray! Im worried cause he is feeling unwell and the ball has stayed in the same spot as the first night! Dr said if its not out by friday (two days) i have to go back to the hospital! Obviously if he is feeling unwell than its sort of blocking something in there, right? cause most of the other children arnt feeling unwell! Like most of you have said the hospital didnt seem to care the night he swolled it, but i think there just to heavy for there little bellies!
ghada
Jul 12, 2007 at 10:50 am
Tonight my 8 yr old son swallowed a geomag ball. im so worried that it could be toxic.
Liz
Jul 26, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Add my 7 yo to the swallowing Magnetix ball to the list. Dr. said to wait it out and check the poop. The boy is a good pooper, so hopefully it will be out quickly.
Liz
Josh
Jul 29, 2007 at 11:19 pm
My 5 year old son swallowed the Magnetix ball today. I was cleaning in the kitchen and I head him coughing, then it sounded like choking. He had already started making his way to me by the time I had turned to run to him. His face was read and his eyes were tearing. At this point I didn’t have any idea what had happened. He said that he was sorry. I noticed that he had two of the steel balls in his hand. I calmly asked him if he had the balls in his mouth. Then he asked me if he was going to die. I then calmly asked him if he had swallowed one. He was very nervous and I wanted to act like it was not big deal so he could be calm.
I called my wife and told her what had happened and 30 minutes later we were at the ER. We waited 10 minutes and were called back even though it was a busy waiting room. The staff took this very seriously and check him and asked us questions. They took an x-ray within 20 minutes. The ball is in his stomach. We were told pretty much the same thing as all the rest of you have been told. As with all of you we are very worried about our little boy.
These toys should be removed permanetly.
Mellissa
Jul 30, 2007 at 9:10 pm
My 8yr old Daugter Cindy swallowed a magnetix ball yesterday and i came today
Tracy
Jul 31, 2007 at 1:02 am
My 7 year old son just informed me tonight that he swallowed a ball LAST MONTH. My best guess is June 16th based on the information he gave me. He does not complain of anything hurting but lately several issues have come up. He is very prone to motion sickness, but in recent years this has gotten better. However, this last month he has thrown up several times which I though was just due to motion sickness or headache induced. Then this last week he has gotten several bad headaches which came on very suddenly. in addition, he has had a cough with no other symtoms for about a month now. I thought just allergies. After reading all your entries, I’m very concerned. I plan on contacting his doctor in the morning and ask for an x-ray. Best of luck to the rest of you. This toy is going in the trash tomarrow.
mrsH
Jul 31, 2007 at 6:49 am
my 6 year old girl swallowed a geomag ball last night.We took her to hospital but they said she didnt need a xray and it should come out on its own.
After reading all these comments i am now very worried and not sure what to do.
A Mom
Aug 16, 2007 at 10:00 pm
Dear Parents: It is heartbreaking to read all these stories about kids who swallowed metal balls from Magnetic sets. They seem to be very tempting, even to kids age 6 and older. I am thankful that in none or very few of the stories told above, did the child ALSO swallow a loose magnet. That terrifying situation (swallowing more than one magnet, or magnets PLUS a ball bearing) has happened to some families with the tragic result of one death and over 20 intestinal surgeries required. When a Magnetix set is involved, please insist on an X-ray right away, despite what nurses or doctors might say. You need to make sure no magnets were also swallowed! Magnets that attract to other magnets or metal will NOT pass and can perforate tissues and cause a horrible infection. Better safe than sorry. If the ball hasn’t come out in a few days, think about demanding another X-Ray. And even though the ball will most likely eventually pass, it is critical to monitor your child carefully. I also wanted to mention that although the Magnetix and Geomag metal balls are coated with a silver layer that comes off when it is in the body, leaving a black surface, reports are that these balls DO NOT contain lead or other toxic materials.
Sadly, another manufacturer has just admitted that they didn’t design their toys as safely as they should have, either. Mattel and the CPSC have entered into a voluntary recall of 9.5 million (18.2 million worldwide) Polly Pocket, Batman action figure and other sets where small magnets were not well secured. Check out cpsc.gov, service.mattel.com for the official recall notices. Or go to http://magnetscankill.spaces.live.com, where concerned parents have put together a complete list of all 63 affected Mattel models and links to their images.
As you may know, the Magnets Can Kill space was created in honor of Kenny Sweet, Jr. who passed away in 2005.
Jen
Sep 9, 2007 at 10:53 am
My 6 y.o. son swallowed one of the Magnetix steel balls on 9/4/07. He has had several Xrays and it was determined that he should be able to pass it on his own. We are on day 5 and still waiting. I will wait another few days and have another Xray done to verify that the ball is still moving and isn’t lodged anywhere that could cause further damage. Thank God for medical insurance so that I can have the peace of mind to monitor this closely without worrying about the charges being incurred. I never thought in a million years that I’d have to worry about this sort of thing happening with my 6 y.o. because he should know better than to have things in his mouth. But, kids will be kids and these situations can happen at any age. This has brought new insight when it comes to parenting for me. You have to watch everything because products like this are allowed to exist even if children are getting ill and/or dying. Hopefully this will pass with no further problems but in the meantime it’s emotionally trying to know that my son is walking around with a potentially harmful foreign object in his little belly.
Jen R
Sep 20, 2007 at 7:56 pm
My 4 year old swallowed a magentix ball on 9/15/07. Still waiting for it to pass. If it doesn’t pass by tomorrow noonish I have to go in a for a first x-ray. I hope it comes out soon!
A Mom
Sep 21, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Last month, a 6-year old boy in Philadelphia almost died after choking on one or two Magnetix balls. Luckily his uncle saved his life using the Heimlich manuever. The family and the hospital personnel didn’t know Magnetix magnetic building sets had been recalled twice.
You can watch the video story at
http://www.nbc10.com/news/13943264/detail.html.
Jen
Sep 21, 2007 at 3:25 pm
UPDATE: My son passed his magnetix ball 6 days later. We are all very thankful that it all turned out OK, however, we sure did learn a lesson. It does not matter how old your child is, small toys are always a threat if they can fit down a throat! Before this incident, I could have very confidentally said that my son would never do such a thing…guess what, I would have been wrong and at a very high price if he wouldn’t have passed it on his own.
Jen R
Sep 24, 2007 at 9:51 am
Okay…Here is the rest of the story. I called the pediatrician on Friday afternoon but because some people on this website said it took a long time for the ball to pass I asked her if we could wait the weekend and if nothing came out come in for an x-ray this morning (Monday). Wouldn’t you know it…..5 minutes before we were going to walk out the door my son passed the ball. Thanks goodness it’s over with. It took 8 1/2 days for my son to pass his. I hope passing this information along is helpful to others in the same situation.
nattie
Oct 4, 2007 at 7:47 pm
My 6 yrs old just swallowed a magnetic ball, she panic and told me ,I was so scared but I had to remain calm,I told her not to panic, shes fine but I am worried, I decided to look on the internet to see if theres anything i can find and I found this site, I cant believe this is going on,the danger in this toy.God bless the children who didnt make it.I am hoping this ball will pass,Ill keep posting:)
Jen R
Oct 4, 2007 at 8:17 pm
Nattie~
I know it’s nerve racking but just watch for signs of complications. Fever, stomache ache, lack of bowel movements, etc. My son was choking on the ball before he swallowed it. I was really terrified. He complained a couple of times that his belly hurt but I think it was the weight of the ball shifting around. I also believe the weight of the ball is what takes it so long to pass. Basically, the child has to get the ball to roll just the right way to get down the opening of the intestines. Try having your child do rolling exercises and lay on the right side whenever possible. Also…what I did to sort through the stools is use a grocery bag (with a hole punched in the bottom to drain out the urine) , roll it up and fix it to the rim of the toilet seat as best as I could. I would usually have to hold the back of the bag to keep it from sinking into the water. Then I would feel for the ball through the bag. Good luck and remember that as long as he/she is having bowel movements they are okay.
nattie
Oct 5, 2007 at 8:20 am
Awww Im happy ur son is better:)It all started because I was talking to my husband and daughter she was sitting playing with the magnetic,it was her favoirte thing to play with.All of a sudden my daughters like hey mom look at the house I made with these,so I told her that she did a great job,and then it was like poof she said mommy can you give me the puffer and she was all panic and all I could think of was can she breath and I relise shes breathing but shes getting upset about something and she thought her puffer would fix this,so then she blurts out,I swollwed the ball,so I remain calm I didnt want her to see that I was upset,I told her dont panic,it will pass threw you,so she runs to the washroom and I said it wont pass threw you yet, she says I gotta go anyways,shes done she gets off and say there I got rid of it ,its not stuck in my throat no more ,I said its in your tummy,I had no idea this was still stuck in her throat she wasnt choking nothing.
Julie
Oct 6, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Hey Nattie and Jen R. I just took over this blog and had not read this post yet. I hadn’t even heard about this recall.
We don’t have any of these toys and I am thankful.
Nattie, let us know if your 6 year old is okay. That’s so scary.
Thank you Jen R for coming an answering her comment and reassuring her that it’ll be okay. It’s nice to have people who have been through it coach you through the process.
chad
Oct 11, 2007 at 11:13 pm
My son is 4 years old. Tonight he came to me and told me he swallowed ball. I soon found out that the ball came from a small toy called a Mighty Bean. Apparently inside the mighty bean is a small magnet. He broke open the cylinder toy and accidentaly swallowed the magnet inside. I already spoke to a doctor and she told me the same thing that I have been reading she said to check his stool over the next three days and to contact her if it does not pass. So we as parents should not only be careful with the magnetix but also mighty beans or any magnet toy. Will keep posting the updates.
dana
Oct 14, 2007 at 2:32 pm
My son almost died last fall from swallowing 4 magnets from the magnetix toy. They pierced many holes through his intestines. He had surgery to remove them and repair the damage. Thank God his has recovered, I can’t believe they still sell Magnetix the problem is the plastic shapes break and the magnet are loose. Or, they just fall right out of the rods. I kept throwing away loose pieces because I saw them as a choking hazard. Little did I know that they could
cut through the inside of a child’s body. The surgeon said it is like being stabbed in the ab