Most of us do.
But if we have any children at all inside the house -- and yes, that means 0 to 18 years old -- it would be wise for us to keep these magnets out of reach.
But if we have any children at all inside the house -- and yes, that means 0 to 18 years old -- it would be wise for us to keep these magnets out of reach.
According to a study recently published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, there has been a steep increase in the number of children ingesting magnets, and many of these end up in the emergency room.
If the child only swallows one magnet, that's usually not so bad. The magnet will most likely pass through the bowels with little injury to the child.
But many children swallow more than one magnet, and that's where the trouble occurs.
Magnets, as you know, stick to each other. When these two magnets end up in different parts of the intestines, they are likely to find each other and stick together, pinching the portion of intestines between them, causing injury and blockage.
Magnets, as you know, stick to each other. When these two magnets end up in different parts of the intestines, they are likely to find each other and stick together, pinching the portion of intestines between them, causing injury and blockage.
And often, the remedy is nothing short of surgery.
You may also be interested to know that according to the study, the magnets are not just swallowed. Only 74% of the magnets were ingested through the mouth. The rest were inserted through the nose, ears, and genitals.
I remember when we bought magnets for our kids to learn science with. They were powerful magnets, and small ones. The four-year-old did not swallow them, thankfully, but he inserted one into the CD ROM. We had to disassemble the computer to get the magnet out.
After I read this article, I gathered up all my little magnets, put them inside a used disposable diaper to make sure no other kid would pick them up at the landfill, and threw them away with a sigh of relief. I felt like I narrowly escaped a trip to the emergency room!
How about you? Do you have magnets in the house? Are you getting rid of them? How?
I remember when we bought magnets for our kids to learn science with. They were powerful magnets, and small ones. The four-year-old did not swallow them, thankfully, but he inserted one into the CD ROM. We had to disassemble the computer to get the magnet out.
After I read this article, I gathered up all my little magnets, put them inside a used disposable diaper to make sure no other kid would pick them up at the landfill, and threw them away with a sigh of relief. I felt like I narrowly escaped a trip to the emergency room!
How about you? Do you have magnets in the house? Are you getting rid of them? How?
Reference: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/264575.php
Image: arte ram
Image: arte ram
| The Nanay Notebook is written by Blessie Adlaon, a work-at-home and homeschooling mom of four. Check out our About page to know more about this blog's author and our policies on advertising, press releases, and reposting. |
