Mom Warns About Danger Of Magnetic Toys After Son's Emergency Surgery

Popular magnetic toys present very real, very serious dangers

A mom’s viral post is now making headlines, warning parents about the dangers of magnetic toys. After accidentally ingesting 13 magnets from a single toy, her son had to undergo emergency surgery to remove part of his intestines and colon.

Jennifer White, a Wisconsin mom, initially shared the terrifying ordeal of her 4-year-old son, Beck, in a Facebook post.

“We are headed to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee,” she writes. “Beck and mom are taking an ambulance and Dad’s meeting us there.”

Apparently, White’s son opened the magnetic toy and ingested 13 tiny magnets. “I feel guilty AF and horrible posting this but I don’t want another child to go through this,” she says. “If you have little ones or chewers these are dangerous and we’re removing them from our home. Dogs could also break these open too.”

After appearing ill and vomiting, White and her husband rushed Beck to the hospital where he underwent surgery to remove part of his colon, intestines, and appendix. According to FOX 6 News, the magnets created holes and an infection in his intestines. White shared in recent posts that her son is still resting in the hospital and trying to heal from the infection.

The dangers presented by magnetic toys are something the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has warned pediatricians about. When the magnets are swallowed, they can pull together with enough force to cause serious and life-threatening damage to the digestive system.

White tells FOX 6 News she doesn’t want other parents to have to endure what she and her family are going through, which is why she shared her story publicly. As someone who just purchased magnetic Picasso Tiles for my three-year-old this very Christmas and had no idea about any of this — I personally am very thankful she shared this story.

“It was such a simple toy,” White says. “We had made sure that he was old enough, the age on the box, I chewed it myself. It sounds crazy but I have special needs children and sometimes you need to go a little extra and I did those things to make sure… If you have them in your home make sure you know when they’re being played with, don’t let the kids have them by themselves.”

Accidental magnetic ingestion can produce symptoms of abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever.