Report Summary
5 YOM accidentally swallowed two magnets after pretending they were braces by putting one on front of tooth & one on back. He was taken to hospital. Magnets made their way into appendix & appendix with magnets was removed.
Product Details
- Product Description: Spek Magnetic Ball 2.5mm magnetic balls
- Manufacturer/Importer/Private Labeler Name: Retrospective Goods LLC
- Brand Name: Speks
- Model Name or Number:
- Serial Number:
- UPC Code:
- SKU#:
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Date Manufactured:
- Retailer: Learning Express
- Retailer State: Pennsylvania
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Purchase Date:
9/14/2019
- Product Category: Toys & Children
- Product Type: Toys
- Product Code: Building Sets (1345)
Incident Details
- Incident Description: My five year old accidentally swallowed two Spek magnets (after pretending they were braces by putting one on the front of his tooth and one on the back). I have always know that swallowing magnets was a big problem and always told him to keep them away from his mouth but you know how that goes. As soon as he swallowed them he got upset and told me. We took him to our local hospital and they transferred him to [REDACTED] where he spent the next six days as they tried to get the magnets out. 1st naturally which failed. 2nd via colonoscopy which failed. They then determined the magnets made their way into his appendix. Day five they decided they would need to remove his appendix. Day six his appendix was removed with the magnets. I do understand these magnets are meant for adult, however, they are a toy and are very attractive to children. The strength of this magnets make them even enticing and not just to little kids. I have read cases of teenagers using them as tongue rings and swallowing them. I am not saying they should be off the market but the strength that they can hold through things like a tongue are a problem. We now make sure button batteries are not able to be take out of toys by children but we still allow these magnets to be accessible to children and the damage they can do is crazy and it is happening way to often. My son is not a crazy kid. He is very smart. He is the third child and sees his brother with braces and is trying to imitate. He is five so I do not have an eye on him 24/7 and I did tell him not to but them In his mouth. The company that makes them has been in trouble before. I think we need to find a way before more kids are injured.
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Incident Date:
10/9/2019
- Incident Location: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Victims Involved
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- Injury Information: Injury - Hospital Admission
- My Relationship to the Victim: My Child
- Gender: Male
- Victim's Age When Incident Occurred: 5 years
Comments from the Manufacturer/Private Labeler
- Retrospective Goods LLC: “Retrospective Goods is in receipt of Report #20191014-C39E7-2147377159, received on November 1, 2019, reporting on an accidental ingestion by a 5-year old child of two magnets that reportedly were part of a Speks magnet set, manufactured, promoted and sold for adults. The Speks package bears the following warning label:
WARNING: Keep Away From All Children! Do not put near or in nose or mouth. Swallowed magnets can pinch and stick together across intestines causing serious injury or death. Seek immediate medical attention if magnets are swallowed or ingested.
In a 2015 CPSC safety standard for high-powered magnets CPSC determined the standard should not apply to magnets with a flux index of less than 50. Speks has a flux index less than 50 and, therefore, would not have been subject to the CPSC’s safety standard and are not classified as a hazardous magnet as defined by CPSC and ASTM standards. The CPSC magnet standard was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit for reasons unrelated to the flux index provision. Speks magnets are safe when used by adults as intended.
Additional Details
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Submitter has product?:
Yes
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Product was damaged before incident?:
No
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Product was modified before incident?:
No
- If yes to any, explanation:
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Have you contacted the manufacturer?:
No
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If Not, Do you plan to?:
No
- Report Number: 20191014-C39E7-2147377159
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Report Date:
10/14/2019
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Sent to Manufacturer/Importer/Private Labeler:
10/24/2019
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Report First Publication Date:
11/14/2019
- Category of Submitter: Consumer
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