Does your child have a “magnetic personality?  Well, what we definitely don’t want is a magnetic gut from sizzling magnets or Neodymium super magnets. They sound like fun… unless they get swallowed.  These come as small enough pieces that if swallowed, may go through the intestines at different speeds.  Being magnets, they may attach to each other with the intestinal wall in between.

Both the neodymium super magnets and the sizzle magnets can stay attached  causing serious damage to the intestine.  The sizzle magnets are hematite.  If they are thrown in the air, they make a sizzle when they connect.  It “sounds” quite entertaining. (Pun intended.) They are advertised to be strong enough to use as earrings or even to attach through a person’s hand.  And most likely, your little toddlers’ intestinal lining is certainly thinner than his little hand, and possible as thin, as or thinner than the earlobe.   And the sizzle doesn’t last long, so if you aren’t there at the precise moment or there is other noise going on…. (now, that wouldn’t happen at your house, would it?)…you might just miss the sizzle, and not even know the magnets were swallowed.

The other serious type of magnet out there for the swallowing child, are the neodymium super magnets.  These are the main ones that we see in the “desk toys” for adults, or in the form of stress relievers for adults in the form of sculptures or puzzles.  These are the ones that have been known to cause several children to require surgery due to the intestinal problems.  So, if you have anyone who might put these in the mouth (and I have known of adults that put things in the mouth, that don’t belong there) don’t have these magnets around.  These probably aren’t good for pets either. Go to the ER immediately if you hear a sizzle from the belly, or your kid has that “gut feeling” from magnets. Keep it safe, give that kid a hug!