title: Rare-earth magnet ingestion-related injuries among children, 2000-2012.
abstract: This study describes the epidemiology of rare-earth magnet ingestion by children by retrospectively analyzing 72 cases of magnet ingestion collected from Saferproducts.gov and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission from 2000 through 2012. The mean child age was 6.4 years. Patients ingested between 1 and 40 magnets, most often 1 to 4 magnets. Unique circumstances of ingestion included faux piercing (19.4%) and mistaking magnets for candy (6.9%). Surgery was required in 69.7% of cases where treatment was reported. Fifty-three patients were hospitalized (73.6%), and the length of hospital stay was reported in 58.5% of those cases, ranging from 1 to 54 days. Approximately half (50.7%) of the magnets causing injury were products intended for use by adults. Study findings demonstrate that pediatric ingestion of rare-earth magnets can cause serious gastrointestinal injury. Establishing a performance standard that limits the attraction force of these magnets offers the best prevention solution to this important pediatric public health problem.
authors.affiliation: 1Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: De Roo
authors.forename: Meghan C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Thiphalak
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chounthirath
authors.forename: Huiyun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Nancy A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cowles
authors.forename: Liliya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shmuylovskaya
authors.forename: Gary A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000453:epidemiology*; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract; D006801:Humans; D059346:Magnets; D008297:Male; D008674:Metals, Rare Earth; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000293:injuries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D008674:Metals, Rare Earth
keywords: children; foreign body; ingestion; injury; magnet; pediatric