New TikTok magnets craze that nearly killed my son, 9
A NINE-year-old boy had to have some of his organs removed and narrowly escaped death after swallowing magnets as part of a TikTok craze.
Jack Mason was taken to hospital last Tuesday with agonising stomach pains and underwent major surgery.
The youngster had ingested tiny silver magnets after copying a dangerous online trend which encourages people to place them either side of their tongue to look like a piercing.
He only admitted what had happened after an ultrasound at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow revealed the objects were blocking his bowel.
Jack had four hours of surgery to remove his appendix and part of his large and small bowel.
His mother, Carolann McGeoch, was told he may have to rely on a stoma bag for life.
She said: ‘He was admitted to hospital last Tuesday with abdominal pain and vomiting, which they struggled to get under control.
‘It was quickly discovered that these were magnets and, after a bit of probing to get the truth, Jack admitted that he had swallowed these.
‘It was explained to me that these magnets needed to be removed urgently but that it wasn’t a straightforward operation.’
Jack’s mother added: ‘As if that wasn’t bad enough, it was explained to me that the damage these magnets can cause could be so extreme that he might not pull through.
‘Through floods of tears I then had to sign my permission to the operation and to acknowledge that “anything could happen”.
‘Jack was taken to surgery and after the longest four hours of my life the surgeon came to the ward to let me know how it had gone.
‘My funny, outgoing, healthy nine-year-old had been affected that badly that he had lost his appendix, his small bowel and 30cm [11.8in] of his large bowel. All for the sake of some silly magnets.’
Ingesting magnets poses an extreme risk, as they can squeeze together in the intestines or bowels, cutting off blood supply.
Severe damage can occur in a matter of hours and be life-threatening. Five days after his surgery, Jack was still unable to walk unaided and was restricted to fluids.
Miss McGeoch, of Stirling, said: ‘The surgeons are fighting tooth and nail to have these magnets banned for the damage they can do. Jack is lucky to be alive.
‘There are videos across social media encouraging kids to do tricks with these but what the videos fail to mention is that ultimately those tiny wee magnets could kill, very easily.’
Jack’s ordeal is not an isolated one.
In May, 11-year-old Ellis Tripp, from Worcester, was left in a critical condition after swallowing magnets as part of the same social media craze. Medics initially thought he was suffering from a burst appendix but were stunned to find a tiny ball attached to one of their operating tools.
Similarly, a 13-year-old girl in Liverpool had major surgery after engaging in the craze.
Professor Simon Kenny, national clinical director for children and young people at NHS England, has called for the tiny magnets to be banned.
He said: ‘There is nothing fun for children or their parents about surgery to remove magnets that have been swallowed.’
‘Nothing fun about surgery’