Rare Earth Magnets in Toys Raise Risks from Swallowing

Many toys contain rare-earth magnets, and doctors warn that accidentally swallowing rare-earth magnets can cause serious injury. Rare earth magnets are magnets with powerful magnetic forces that can be fatal if swallowed. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission limited the size of magnets back in 2012. However, a federal court ruling in 2016 reversed that decision.

Since then, the rate of accidental ingestion has risen dramatically. Jackie Saito, PhD, of St. Louis Children's Hospital, said, "I think parents need to think carefully and understand that while toys may be beneficial to children, they really have the potential to be very harmful."

Once the magnets are swallowed, Saito says, they attract each other because of the magnetic force, no matter where they are in the digestive system. With the strength of the magnets, they will eventually connect and be able to drill holes in the intestines.

"What can happen is that this can have the effect of causing bacteria to take advantage of the situation, so that's what causes abdominal pain and fever. There are other possibilities that could lead to a blockage in the intestines, which in turn could make children sick," Saito said.

The American Academy of Pediatrics says parents should keep the magnet in a locked container out of reach of their children. Doctors say if a magnet is accidentally swallowing, the patient needs to go to the emergency room immediately.

Rare earth magnets are powerful permanent magnets made from alloys of rare earth elements. Developed in the 1970s and 1980s, rare-earth magnets are the strongest type of permanent magnet, producing significantly stronger magnetic fields than other types, such as ferrite or alnico magnets. Rare-earth magnets typically produce magnetic fields that can exceed 1.2 Tesla, while ferrite or ceramic magnets typically exhibit magnetic fields of 0.5 to 1 Tesla.

There are two types of rare-earth magnets: neodymium iron boron magnets and samarium cobalt magnets. Rare earth magnets are very brittle and also susceptible to corrosion, so they are often plated or coated to protect them from breaking, chipping, or crumbling into powder.

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