Toy Warning: Magnetix
March 20, 2006 by Lei
Filed under News and Links about Children's Things
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
It’s been 30 days … NOTHING but in all fairness it is hard to squish his poop while in school or while he is at my MIL’s and I’m working. The doc was not concerned at all and told us to wait 30 days for it to pass. If after 30 days if we wanted to, we could have an xray done…
I also contacted the MegaBrand company. They called me back and said that it is an all iron ball and that it will pass in a few days…she also said she would send me a return envelope so I can send it back and they can give me credit for another toy. Umm, excuse me? You have had enough of these calls to know when it will pass? STRIKE #1 … and you want me to send them back in the package they were bought in a few years ago, right? Um, yeah, as if I still have them.
UGH!
Good luck, Yolanda!
Thank you for all your posts. My son also swallowed a ball and this was the first place I found before even calling “ask-a-nurse”. It happened on a Sunday and I wasn’t looking forward to driving 1.5 hours to an emergency room for what I thought they would say – “wait ’till it passes”. I’ll give it time and see. Once it does, I don’t plan on sending it in for a replacement – I don’t really need this happening again! Thanks again for everyones advice!
God Bless!-Carla
30 days?? WOW!! Here’s hoping that it’s passed and you’ve just missed it’s exit.
Return envelope?? I have so many ideas on what to send back in that envelope… none appropriate to suggest on here though LOL
I’m right there with you on that return envie! And to think that I have the original package, some may, but I used diaper wipe’s containers to hold them for my boys….
Hi everyone. Thanks for the tips. He actually passed it in 4 days. It was hard to know that he actually passed it, because I could not be there while he was at school. Luckily he had used the restroom, and it was just sitting there in my toilet. He said “Momma, the blue ball came out my butt!” He was so happy and so was I. I dont have the original package but I should send them the grocery bags of poop I had to go through. Good luck to any other parent going through this. Take care.
I was thinking that the ball would be heavy enough to actually just sit on the bottom of the toilet too, maybe my DS didn’t lose it yet? Glad your ’story’ ended well!
Hay , Kerri if he has been eating fiber I believe it has passed by now. Maybe you should get the xray and send megabrand the bill. lol Just for peace of mind you know. Keep us posted.
LOL Love the idea of sending them the bill…
My son swallowed one of the magnetix balls 7 days ago. We had an x-ray the night he did it, and it was in the stomach. Just had another x-ray yesterday and the ball hasn’t budged! The doctor said we may have to have it scoped out since it hasn’t moved in 7 days. I’m praying that with some of these tips, it will move. We are supposed to get another x-ray in a week and if it hasn’t moved, they are going to put him to sleep and scope it out. Did anyone elses ball not move from the belly for awhile . . .?
Erica,
My daughter Kennedy swallowed a ball and it took her 3 days short of a month for it to come out. The doctor did not seem concerned at all. They even had 3 doctors involved to make sure and they all agreed that it would come out eventually. Once it came out I had a lead test done and good news..no high lead. All was good. I did use a bag every time she went to the bathroom though, every time. I would not recommend too many xrays. If he goes to school then you obviously can’t use the bag while he is there. Rest assure it will come out. Good Luck and keep giving him fiber. Please keep us updated.
Thank you for the response. I am uneasy about the x-rays, but they keep reassuring me that it’s very little radiation. Have you heard something different? Hopefully this laying on his right side and extra fiber will help move things along. The doctor was just surprised it hasn’t moved from the stomach at all and it has been 7 days. Any other feedback would be greatly appreciated. It’s very stressful wondering what’s going on with that ball and when it’s going to come out.
Read a bit above, we are on 3 days past a month…
Good luck!
Kerri
Wow! 3 days past a month. What have the doctors advised to you? Do they seemed concerned at all – or do they feel it will still pass on its own?
Being he is 9 and in school and going to my in-laws for them to watch him after school while we work, it’s been hard to monitor him … at home we squish, but there he just listens and looks LOL … Anyway, the doc is not concerned at all. She said that if we want we can get an xray, but we don’t have to.
Not sure what to do.
Honestly I would just wait it out. Again, I waited almost a month. They were not worried at all. They said that they are not magnets so nothing to worry about. I just got a lead test just to reassure my self. It was in her stomach for a long time, same place actually and then it just moved on down. I know how stressful it is to wait. I kept saying maybe this time, maybe this time. A day is too long to wait so a month felt like a year. Just pray. Most likely its coming out. Don’t worry. Just look at how many people are on here and worried about the same thing. Mostly all if not all say they come out in time. Hope this puts a little ease in your mind.
I contacted RoseArt/Mega Brands … they called me and told me that it was complete iron and would pose no problems and it would come out w/out any probs.
That made me feel better, but it’s odd that they ever KNEW enough about it to tell me that. They weren’t the doctor.
I’m hoping one day it will be laying in the bottom of our commode being it too heavy to flush!
Well, it’s been 12 days since my 4-year-old swallowed the steel ball, and still no signs of it. We are supposed to get another x-ray on Wednesday, so I’m just praying it has moved from his stomach so he doesn’t have to have it “scoped” out.
Well, well…add another victim from these horrible toys! My 9 year old son was rubbing a steel ball against his lips this past Tuesday night and before he realized anything was happening, the ball slid to the back of his throat and down it went! Fortunately, it didn’t choke him but he has yet to pass it! Thank goodness for this great website and all your info! My husband and I read all 2 years worth of comments! It was helpful…the baggie deal is awesome compared to poking through the poo with chopsticks!! We will wait a few more days and then go in for an xray. Meanwhile, I have disposed of those darn things and am warning everyone about them! My kids have always enjoyed them and I’ve been impressed with the creativity that the Magnetix offers but there are plenty of other things out there that tap into that creativity and ingenuity WITHOUT being harmful! Here’s a bit of relief for any of you parents….my mother-in-law told me yesterday that when she was 10 she had swallowed a steelie (steel marble…those were BIG!) and after a week she passed it with no problem! She is 74 and is healthly as a horse! It gave me a little relief hearing that!! I’ll come back and post when the little ball appears! Our kids are anxiously awaiting Santa while my husband and I are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a stupid, little metal ball in our son’s poo! Kinda crazy!
My six year old swallowed a Magnetix ball on Tues and we are still waiting for it to come out and its now Friday night. She has’nt pooped since so we are loading her with Miralax to see will that get her going. She is a bit constipated in normal times. Hopefully it comes out soon. The Magnetix must have been in the house for about four years and was played with about four times and the first time she plays with it she swallows one of the balls.
Good luck to you both!
Finally the ball dropped today! It took from Tuesday until today (Sat) to come out but thank goodness it did and this episode is over. I forgot to mention earlier that my 6 year old is not the type and never was….to put stuff in her mouth. I don’t know why she put it in her mouth but she said it just slipped down. Definately not suitable for anyone under 6 to be playing with.
My dd (4) swallowed a magnetix ball on Wed. night. We went to the ER and they took the x-ray and said it should pass. I have her on Miralax and high fiber and she is going a ton, but we are still waiting on the ball. It is sooooo stressful. I had previously thrown out all the Magnetix, but her brother just got these from Santa at a party. They are thrown away now.
Marian: Glad to hear that yours finally passed!
We are still waiting! Our son feels fine and hasn’t add any adverse symptoms but we are watching him closely. We still haven’t done the xray thing…we keep hoping that he’ll just pass it. I suppose we should plan to get an xray fairly soon. Does anyone have a suggestion on getting xrays…should we wait a few more days or do it immediately?
YEAH!!!! My dd just passed her swallowed ball. Finally 3 xrays and 6 days later. She is so excited and said now we can have Christmas!
my ten year old swallowed one of those balls eight days ago, It still hasn’t come out, and we go see the Dr. today. Needless to say the toy is now in the trash.
My 4 year old swallowed a metal ball that looks exactly like the Magnetix, but this one was from his older brothers game called Bulls-Eye Ball by Hasbro. Beware of this one too! We had the Magnetix and removed them due to all the magnets. Needless to say we’ll be on poop patrol until it passes…hopefully real soon.
Giving him lots of fiber… raisins, fruit, and juice.
My 6 year old autistic son swallowed a magnwtix ball on tuesday (1/13/09). he was xrayed on 1/15/09 and the ball is in his intestines- right upper quadrant. thankfully, we only saw the ball on xray– no magnets or other foreign bodies. it is a difficult wait and see game. we have upped his fiber as well. he is not able to go to school until he has passed the ball (school rules). we are going on day 4 now….
i can’t believe this site with all these kids doing the same thing! you’d think the manufacturer would geta clue!
The metal ball came out today! In on Wednesday 3pm out on Saturday 11am.
Congrats, Rose…we still aren’t certain if my DS’s ball came out, but our docs are not worried at all about it…
Cathi, good luck! I hope you are able to ‘find’ it!!
We are thankful and very much relieved that the ball came out! Wishing you all well and a quick find!
My daughter age 7 suffered the same fate! But it wasn’t Magnetix. She was playing with magnetic hematite stones. She was putting one on either side of her lip (why?) she leaned back and the stone shot down her throat. There was no choking but if you’re reading this you know the fear. We went to the emergency room (to be on the safe side.) The ER was crowded there was a 4-5 hour wait. I went up to a nurse expecting to be reassured that everything was fine and I didn’t need to be there because my daughter had merely swallowed a magnet (I showed her a sample) instead of saying don’t worry you don’t need to be here she said we can send you ahead of the others. They took xrays to make sure the magnet wasn’t stuck near the esophagus and sent us home saying I should check my daughter’s poop each night until I found it. That it could exit anywhere between four and thirty days. I urged her to eat more fruit and vegetables (with a bit of success) and using the ziplock method I read about here was shocked to find the magnet in three days. In on Sunday out on Wednesday. What a nightmare!
My 3yr old just swallowed a magnetix ball, she got an x-ray done within a cple of hours which clearly showe the ball, we have been told that it should pass within 2-3days but have to return to doc if she starts to vomit or has any tummy pain, my biggest concern is the poison factor, I did throw out the toy about 2 yrs ago but she found 2 balls inside another game that hadn’t been played with for a long time, I will feel so much better when I see that ball
Catrina,
From what I understand and from what I was told the ball is non-toxic.
Good luck!!
Kerri
Thanks Kerri
Good news the ball passed after 3 days
It amazes me how Its been 2 years since my son almost died from choking on this ball that was to heavy to come back up and After the cpsc came to my house I truly thought that something would be done about the product and I still get notices to this day about more and more kids swallowing this ball. They didn’t even lighten the ball so that the Heimlich maneuver could be done. The only think I see is this stupid warning now about a choking hazard OMG this is so pathetic. How many people have to go through this before this product gets pulled off of the shelf???
Catrina,
So happy the ball made it’s way out!!
Trisha,
Amazing …and sad. I’m glad I know about it and I’ve informed all those that I know…I even called and emailed the company…
Frustrating!
Kerri
My 5 1/2 year old son swallowed a Magnetix marble four weeks ago tomorrow (3-13) He has had two x-rays. The first x-ray which was taken two weeks ago showed it in his small bowel and we wnt again today and it has barely moved at all. Our doctor is supposed to be checking with a GI doctor but it seems like it should of had plenty of time to pass by now. Has anyone had it stay in that long without moving? My son has complained occasionally about his stomach hurting but never anything major.
My 2.5 yr old has just swallowed one of these magnetic marbles and we called nurse on call and they said she needs to be seen so hubbys taking her to the hospital now! Doesn’t sound like a fun journey ahead unless she passes it quickly but good to hear almost all your children have gone on to pass it themselves!
First, I was so glad to find this space because it made me feel like I didn’t have rush to the ER on a Sunday. It’s been 2 days since my 6 year old swallowed the ball from his brother’s I-Coaster set (and no sign of it yet). My sister in law tried to warn me but I thought that my kids were old enough to not worry about putting things in their mouth. My son said he was squeezing the ball between his fingers and it popped out and before he knew it it went down his throat. Sounds like a tall tale but after reading other comments here I may have to give him the benefit of the doubt! Anyway, I really wanted to let you know something I think will be helpful. I had a kidney stone and they like to test them so they told me to put Saran wrap over the toilet (between the toilet and the seat) to catch the poop. It is much easier to do, I would think, than the plastic bag (which I haven’t tried) because it sticks very well to the porcelain and you can even kind of smoosh through it while it’s on the bowl. Then wipe the poop off with toilet paper into the bowl. Sounds disgusting, I know, and of course, it is, but it is very easy and has worked well for me (with the kidney stone) and now for my son’s situation. I hope this is helpful- I would never have thought of it.
I just wanted to say that it passed after 8 stressful days (I was a wreck letting him go out with anyone but me but couldn’t justifiably keep him home from special outings with his brothers so I just prayed). Anyway, another good trick besides the Saran wrap is to use a plastic bag from the grocers under the toilet seat. They’re wide enough to hold on both sides so they don’t fall in and since it’s doubled up when lying flat it’s thick enough to feel like you can smoosh it around without touching anything and again everything can be easily wiped into the toilet after being checked. Good luck everyone- I’m so sorry for those of you who go through this for weeks- I can’t imagine- one week was killing me!
My 6 year old swallowed the magnetix metal ball today. I didn’t take him in as he was breathing and talking and told me what had happened. After talking to a friend who is a Nurse Practitioner, who said no need to take him in to the ER as nothing will be done besides an X-ray. After reading all the above comments, I am wondering if I should have taken him in for an X-ray to know the progress if he doesn’t poop out in the next few days. Since this is day one, I am really anxious and somewhat scared. I am throwing the stupid toy which he got as a gift from a friend. I gave him fruit for dinner and some prune juice. How long should I wait before taking him in for an X-ray? School starts in few days and I won’t be able to monitor him all the time.
My 4-year old son swallowed one of the Magnetix balls about a year ago. He was laying on his bed putting it on his lips and trying to blow it up into the air and then opened his lips too far and it went down his throat. He is not a kid who put things in his mouth normally. He didn’t tell me about it until morning (really scary that he didn’t tell me) when his stomach kept going into spasms after he stood up and made him try to throw up every 15-30 minutes or so.
They did x-rays and found that it was lodged up high in his stomach (probably because he was laying down when it happened). Because it was causing his stomach to continually spasm, he was unable to keep food down so they had to put him under and go scoop it out.