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Hundreds of younger kids worldwide are nonetheless swallowing magnets regardless of a rise in laws, finds a evaluation of the accessible proof, revealed on-line within the journal Damage Prevention.
With US kids amongst these seemingly most in danger, it is time to bolster restrictions and use higher proof to tell coverage, say the researchers.
The swallowing of small high-powered magnets is a big problem worldwide, particularly amongst kids underneath the age of 4, be aware the researchers, as a result of they’re generally present in home items, akin to toys, remotes, and small family home equipment, they add.
Whereas swallowing certainly one of these magnets is not often problematic, swallowing a number of or together with a metallic object could cause severe hurt, usually requiring surgical procedure or different invasive procedures, they level out.
In a bid to construct the proof base and higher inform coverage, the researchers sought to check international reviews of kids’s magnet swallowing and present regulatory insurance policies for international locations all through the world.
They trawled by worldwide analysis databases on the lookout for related research revealed between 2002 and 2024 on the frequency and medical outcomes of magnet swallowing amongst kids from start as much as the age of 18.
From an preliminary haul of 2998 articles, 96 eligible research had been included within the evaluation. Info on case quantity, demographics of the affected kids, and the interventions required was extracted from every examine.
Many of the revealed research originated from Asia and the Center East (44 research), North America, together with Mexico (28), and Europe (11), plus a handful from Chile, Australia, Egypt and Tunisia, consultant of solely 23% of the world’s international locations.
The variety of incidents reported in anyone examine ranged from one to 23,756. Total, the US reported the best variety of instances (23,756), presumably as a consequence of the breadth of its reporting techniques, counsel the researchers. A complete of 47 single case reviews got here from 23 completely different international locations.
Sequential research in a number of international locations documented a rise in incidence over time, together with China and the US. Boys comprised 20%–86% of magnet swallowing instances, whereas the general common age ranged between 2 and eight.
There have been extra instances in cities/cities than in rural communities, and most youngsters discovered the magnets or objects containing them at residence, daycare, and nursery in toys, and in class and workplace provides.
A major proportion of the kids required admission to hospital, surgical procedure, and/or different medical interventions. Magnets had been present in all components of the intestine, and documented accidents included obstruction, twisted gut (volvulus), perforation, fistulas, and abscesses.
An increase within the variety of instances over time was reported in a number of international locations. This might point out a real improve, or enhancements in reporting accuracy, say the researchers. Magnet advertising, price, and availability could all clarify the will increase, as may adjustments in trade and authorities laws, they add.
However regardless of the cause, it is clear kids swallowing magnets stays an issue worldwide, they emphasize.
Solely 10 insurance policies had been discovered on-line: two from Canada and the US; three from the European Union, UK, and France; one every from the UAE, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
These insurance policies ranged of their intent and wording, with some banning small magnets altogether (UAE, New Zealand, and the UK). Others restricted the energy of magnets, required stricter labeling, or some mixture of the 2. Bans had been related to fewer instances.
The US, for instance, launched laws in 2014 which had been overturned in 2016, after which the variety of new instances rose by 444%. New security requirements had been adopted in 2022, however these do not apply to toys marketed for underneath 14s, the demographic most in danger, say the researchers.
“Many countries still lack national policies aimed at limiting access to small, ingestible magnets, even countries with published incidence of morbidity and mortality from pediatric magnet ingestions,” be aware the researchers.
They acknowledge that they had been usually not evaluating like with like and that granular knowledge had been usually not accessible. Circumstances that do not require medical intervention are probably underreported, so probably underestimating the true variety of instances.
However the researchers however conclude, “These knowledge display that pediatric magnet ingestion is a global drawback that should be addressed. Each geographic space has completely different availability of merchandise and varieties of restrictions in place, but the issue stays the identical: If magnets are accessible to kids, some kids will inevitably ingest them, resulting in a variety of extreme penalties.
“These data also provide some insight about potential solutions. Removal of magnets from the market is linked to a decreased incidence of injuries related to magnet ingestions and thus, such policies should be proposed, promoted, and enforced.”
Extra data:
Paediatric magnet ingestion persists worldwide regardless of rising regulatory insurance policies, Damage Prevention (2025). DOI: 10.1136/ip-2024-045545
Offered by
British Medical Journal
Quotation:
Hundreds of younger kids worldwide nonetheless swallowing magnets regardless of elevated laws (2025, Might 20)
retrieved 20 Might 2025
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