Children around the world still swallow the magnet at a risk rate

Young children often put things in their mouths that they should not. Even apparently harmless bodies, such as games, can have small ingredients enough to swallow the child – like a magnet. Despite the increase in regulations, thousands of children around the world still swallow the magnet.

In a comprehensive international review, researchers from the University of California, UC Davis and UC Davis Health have reported reports of magnets consuming children from all over the world as well as their opposite national policies dealing with this issue. Their results indicate that children in the United States may be especially at risk. While the study was only able to analyze 23 % of the countries of the world, the researchers hope that their comparisons will inform the organizational policies to move forward.

The researchers wrote in a Ticket It was published today in the Journal of injuries. “Each geographical region is available in various products and restrictions in place, yet the problem remains the same: if the magnet is within the reach of children, some children will definitely absorb them, which leads to a wide range of dire consequences.”

Children from all over the world, especially at the age of four, are at risk of swallowing small, high -energy magnets in home appliances such as remote times, games, and small devices. While researchers point out that a single magnet swallowing may not be a problem, swallowing or swallowing one alongside a metal organism may require gas medical intervention.

For a better picture of global trends, the team has studied the papers published between 2002 and 2024 on the spread and results of children who swallow the magnet until the age of 18. Most of the 96th papers came from Asia, the Middle East, North America, Europe, Chile, Australia and Tunisia’s repair. The researchers also evaluated any policies related to the production of magnets, sales and use in their countries.

The average age of children who swallowed the magnet was between two and eight years old, and most of the children in general swallowed of games or school and office supplies, while at home, in custody houses, or in daytime care. Many children need medical interventions.

The United States represents the largest number of accidents (23,756), although this may be because individuals from the United States report such cases more frequent than others. Many countries, including the United States and China, have witnessed an increase in reported cases over time. Researchers say it may also result from more accurate reports, changes in the cost of magnet, marketing, availability or regulations.

Regarding the issue of organizational policies, the team has found policies related to the magnetic swallowing of children in only 10 countries or geographic regions: the United States, Canada, the European Union, Freikh, France, the United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The (few) policies included the explicit prohibition of small magnets, the borders on the power of the magnet, and/or the lists of signs.

“Many countries still lack national policies aimed at reducing access to small roaming magnets, and even countries with a pleasure and deaths from the effects of the magnet for children,” the researchers explained. In the United States, the regulations that maintain high-energy magnets overturned in 2016, and after that, the number of reports of swallowing magnets increased at 444 % until 2022 when it is still new-but still doubtful.

In general, the researchers argue that the real number of magnet’s effects in children is likely to be higher than what they determine in their studies, because many accidents that do not need medical intervention are probably not documented. Although their study was “limited to the availability of information”, the bottom line is that children still swallow the magnet at a high rate.

Fortunately, “this data also provides some insight about possible solutions,” the researchers pointed out. “The removal of the magnet from the market is linked to the low percentage of injuries related to the effects of the magnet, and therefore, these policies should be proposed, enhanced and enforced.”