Warning For Cachers Using Rare Earth Magnets

[+WeightMan]

If any cacher uses the smaller rare earth magnets, be sure to keep them will away from the little ones.

 

Hopefully you can view this story about an infant who swallowed a pair of small rare earth magnets and that caused his death. To summarize the story, the youngster was playing with a toy that contained two small magents. The toy broke and he swallowed two of the magnets. The two were separate in his GI tract, but came close together and came together with a portion of the intestine trapped between them. That blocked the GI tract and led to his death.

[+OienLabs]

Plase get sober. Eating 40 tons of potatoes in 24 hours will also do you severe harm. What has this to do with geocaching?

Edited December 21, 2005 by baø

[+M-T-P]

That brings up a good rule of thumb. When swallowing magnets, always swallow them in pairs and wait two hours before swimming!

[+fizzymagic]

Plase get sober. Eating 40 tons of potatoes in 24 hours will also do you severe harm. What has this to do with gocaching?

While I agree in principle, I always try to affix my magnets to the cache container to prevent morons people from allowing children to take or play with them.

[+OienLabs]

YES!

[+BadAndy]

Plase get sober. Eating 40 tons of potatoes in 24 hours will also do you severe harm. What has this to do with gocaching?

Many geocachers have ordered tiny rare earth magnets for use in building caches. They are becoming a very popular way to magnetize small cache containers. Thats what this has to do with geocaching.

 

As someone with grandchildren around the house on weekends, I appreciate the heads up from the OP.

[+OienLabs]

Ok then, but, try to see to that they are eaten in pairs. Less harm then.

 

This is not an issue in Europe or Australia or Asia or South America. Something to start thinking about. Or what?

 

Edit: Not original english speaking so have patience.

Edited December 21, 2005 by baø

[+StarBrand]

Actually many of then items have around for caching should stay away from infants. Partial list:

• Spray Paint
  
• Foriegn Coins
  
• Epoxy glue
  
• Sharp pencils
  
• etc...
  

Need we list them all??

Edited December 21, 2005 by StarBrand

[+deimos444]

If you have children the primary rule is to do them no harm and protect them as well as you can.

I have raised two and have been very lucky as well as proactive.

Although, my 35 year old son still calls me sergeant dad when he's teed off at me.

I agree with whoever it was that said there shoud be a test and a license before someone can have a child.

[ParentsofSAM]

Thank You WeightMan for the info. I never would have guessed that magnets could do so much damage. That is a tragedy.

 

If any one has had a active toddler that you know no matter how good of a parent you are they may swallow something, even if you live in Europe or Australia or Asia or South America. I am a great Mom and my middle daughter swallowed 35 cents once, everything turned out ok. Now I will be sure to not leave magnets out on the office table and to keep them in the drawer, so that my youngest (2 yrs old) can not play with them. You can never be too careful.

 

baø -- Please take a deep breath. This is important information, IMHO, if you disagree thats OK, but there is no need to get out of control, or be accusatory.

[+welch]

Ok then, but, try to see to that they are eaten in pairs. Less harm then.

 

This is not an issue in Europe or Australia or Asia or South America. Something to start thinking about. Or what?

 

Edit: Not original english speaking so have patience.

So these places have no magnets? Or they've become immune to GI tract blockages??

[+briansnat]

Careful with geocoins too. If a kid swallows a geocoin and it blocks his windpipe he can suffocate.

[+fizzymagic]

This is not an issue in Europe or Australia or Asia or South America. Something to start thinking about. Or what?

So these places have no magnets? Or they've become immune to GI tract blockages??

Geez. Everybody knows that magnets and steel repel in the Southern Hemisphere! That's why they don't have refrigerators in Australia!

[+welch]

This is not an issue in Europe or Australia or Asia or South America. Something to start thinking about. Or what?

So these places have no magnets? Or they've become immune to GI tract blockages??

Geez. Everybody knows that magnets and steel repel in the Southern Hemisphere! That's why they don't have refrigerators in Australia!

Oh darn, how did I forget that!!

[+Mr Lost]

Careful with geocoins too. If a kid swallows a geocoin and it blocks his windpipe he can suffocate.

Or, they may get moved about the countryside randomly.

[+GrnXnham]

This was a local story around here on the 5PM news. I liked the way the media was trying to portray the magnet toys as dangerous and that maybe they should be recalled.

 

First of all, this was a freak accident. Second, why did the parents let an infant play with small magnets (or small anything for that matter?)

 

The product shouldn't be recalled--the parents should be.

Edited December 22, 2005 by GrnXnham

[+Renegade Knight]

...This is not an issue in Europe or Australia or Asia or South America. Something to start thinking about. Or what? ...

If you read the news story, it was a freak accident that could have happened about anywhere. As it happens we got that same toy for our kids for Christmas. No babies in the house though.

 

The bottom line is that it's something to be aware of, because it's such an unusual thing that you would not normally think about it. I would of never worried if my kid swallowed a tiny magnet like that. It would just come put the other end, just like a coin would. That they may stick together is another thing entirly...That would now prompt a Dr. Visit if there was a chance a child could have swollwed more than one.

Edited December 22, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+Renegade Knight]

...First of all, this was a freak accident. Second, why did the parents let an infant play with small magnets (or small anything for that matter?)

 

The product shouldn't be recalled--the parents should be.

You don't have kids, do you? Short of putting your toddler in a straight jacket (and that wouldn't work either) you can't stop them from putting everthing they find in their mouth. Worse no matter how clean you keep your house, they find things that amaze you.

 

Do you really think these parents 'let' their child eat the magnets? It was a freak accident just as you said. One that really could not be forseen by the company, the parents, or the Dr. (or the child could have been saved). It's one of those lessons learned the hard way, at a huge cost.

[+BadAndy]

Short of putting your toddler in a straight jacket (and that wouldn't work either) you can't stop them from putting everthing they find in their mouth.

Or in their nose, ear...and the dogs ear.

[+Team Owl]

Thank you for this information WeightMan. What a tragedy, not a joking matter. We have Magnetix in our home too. I never really thought about the possible danger in these popular toys.