case study: toy magnets make hole in toddler's bowel

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the magnetic balls were banned in 2012, then overturned when a judge deemed the toy had 'instructional value.'

by dave yasvinski

published feb 25, 2021

last updated feb 19, 2025

3 minute read

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3 minute read

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case study: toy magnets make hole in 2-year-old's bowel

a file photos of magnetic balls. getty

each week we comb through science journals to explore a baffling medical issue.

the parents of a rambunctious two-year-old girl felt a sudden attraction to the local emergency room in 2017 after their daughter swallowed 28 powerful magnets.

the small, spherical objects were part of a set of buckyballs, a controversial toy made from rare earth metals, that ellas’s father, kyle mcbrien, kept on his desk. the bb-sized balls, which magnetically connect to one another to form random shapes, have proven irresistible to tiny hands and devastating to their digestive systems.

when kyle returned from the washroom, he noticed ella — who has a history of putting toys in her mouth — was holding a few of the magnets in her hand. “it was terrifying,” said ella’s mother, elizabeth mcbrien, according to fox 31 denver. “i was losing it. he, luckily, kept it together.”

the family rushed to children’s hospital colorado where x-rays revealed the tiny magnets had joined together to form a circle inside of ella. “they were pinching the bowel and causing the early formation of a hole within the bowel by the time we got in there,” said robert kramer, the co-medical director of the digestive health institute and the director of endoscopy at the hospital.

the sale of buckyballs, also known as zen magnets, was banned by the consumer product safety commission (cpsc) back in 2012, according to popular mechanics, for the potential damage that can ensue if consumed. the ban was overturned by a federal judge four years later, partly because comments submitted to the cpsc explained the toys held instructional value when used properly in classroom settings where subjects such as physics and geometry are taught.

it didn’t take long for doctors to notice. “we are starting to see more of these high power magnet ingestions now that they are back on the market,” kramer said, shortly after the ban was lifted. “and cases like (ella’s) where we have to do significant intervention.”

health canada urges parents to keep children away from toys containing magnets because they “can create a blockage or tear through intestinal walls” as they are pulled toward one another. children who have swallowed magnets may not exhibit any physical symptoms for days, prior to the emergence of vomiting, diarrhea and intense stomach pain. it is often only at this point parents are aware something is wrong.

although health canada has not recorded any deaths, it said there were close to 100 cases of magnetic ingestion over the 11-year period ending in 2003. while the majority of the cases (57 per cent) involved children under three years of age, children between the ages of six and eight (15 per cent) were clearly still showing an appetite for ingesting their toys. if you suspect your child has bitten off more than they can chew, head to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible.

“this is one of the most dangerous products on the market,” said bryan rudolph, the pediatric gastroenterologist who was involved in efforts to establish voluntary safety standards after the ban was overturned, according to the washington post. “these injuries are gruesome.”

rudolph proposed making the magnetic balls bigger to prevent ingestion, something shihan qu, the founder of zen magnets, said would fundamentally alter the product. “you can’t just make all small things big so kids won’t choke on them,” he said.

qu, who led the fight to overturn the ban, said he was in favour of efforts to keep the products out of tiny hands calling them “an inherently dangerous product. that’s what it is.”

ella, it should be noted, got lucky. the little girl was able to avoid major surgery after kramer successfully performed a specialized endoscopy to remove the magnets. similar cases have required the removal of parts of the intestine depending on the amount of internal damage done. “that can have very significant implications,” kramer said. “in the worst cases there has been deaths associated with these.”

ella was back to normal a few hours after surgery. her relieved parents hope her story serves as a cautionary tale for others. “it sounds as benign as humanly possible — magnets, you don’t think anything of it — i think just to understand exactly what the true risk is,” kyle said.

her mom was just happy to finally exhale. “huge relief, huge relief,” elizabeth said. “to see her now, she clearly doesn’t look like she had two procedures last week.”

dave yasvinski is a writer with healthing.ca

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