Kids Around the World Are Still Swallowing Magnets at an Alarming Rate

Young children often put things in their mouths that they shouldn’t. Even seemingly harmless objects, such as toys, could have components small enough for a baby to swallow—such as magnets. Despite an increase in regulations, thousands of children around the world are still swallowing magnets. In a sweeping international review, researchers from the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) and UC Davis Health investigated pediatric magnet ingestion reports from around the world alongside their corresponding national policies addressing the issue. Their results indicate that children in the U.S. might be especially vulnerable. While the study was only able to analyze 23% of the world’s countries, the researchers hope that their comparisons will inform regulatory policies moving forward. “This data demonstrates that paediatric magnet ingestion is an international problem that must be addressed,” the researchers wrote in a study published today in the journal Injury Prevention. “Every ... Read full article.