Girl, 2, rushed to hospital after swallowing 32 ball bearing-style magnets

Doctors have warned parents to be extra vigilant of their children while in isolation, after the near-death of a two-year-old.

A Melbourne toddler was rushed to Monash Children’s Hospital’s emergency department after swallowing 32 ball bearing-style magnets while at home.

The near-fatal incident occurred while two-year-old Imogen Ferguson and her family was in isolation. Her older sister Heidi also swallowed two magnets. The girls’ mother Teigan Brown rushed them to hospital, where an X-ray showed 32 magnets lodged in Imogen’s stomach.

Picture: Channel 7

According to Monash Children’s Hospital, they’ve seen four similar cases in the past two weeks and have warned parents to be extra vigilant of young children while in isolation.

Speaking to 7 News, Monash Children’s Hospital head of children’s surgery Professor Chris Kimber said parents need to be “more vigilant than ever and prevent preschool children from having access to these harmful toys”.

“With more children staying home, and more time to explore the house, there is an increased risk of these small magnets being ingested by young children,” he said.

“These magnets can be extremely dangerous, and erode through intestinal tissue as they try and connect to each other.

“They cause multiple holes in the bowel and are potentially life-threatening.”

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While the small objects can pose a choking hazard in young children, it can also be fatal if multiple magnets are swallowed. The magnetised force can pierce through layers of bowel and organs and lead to ulceration, necrosis, perforation, fistulae, volvulus, obstruction and peritonitis.

A similar high-profile case occurred in January 2017 when Noah, a five-year-old Victorian boy, ingested 30 fridge magnets. Doctors at Monash Children’s Hospital reported the child was “hours from death” when he was taken to hospital and presented with a severe infection in his stomach and a suspected blockage.

In 2017, Noah was hours away from death when he was rushed to emergency. Picture: Channel 7

During emergency surgery doctors found the magnets had formed a loop inside his intestines, causing 10 holes. As a result they also removed part of his intestines and he spent over a month in hospital before he was well enough to go home.

To avoid such incidents, parents are encouraged to check that any magnets, or the magnet on any item, is too big to fit in a child’s mouth, and/or securely attached to the item or toy they’re on.

According to the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, if parents suspect a child has swallowed a magnet, they should call triple-0 for an ambulance or report to their nearest hospital emergency department immediately.

Parents are also warned not to induce vomiting.