Girl Swallows 30 Magnets, Steel Balls; They Rip 8 Holes In Her Intestines

[Cool-Beans]

An eight-year-old Indiana girl swallowed 30 magnets and steel balls...

...because they "looked like candy."...

...Haley told Rodriguez she wants other kids to know they shouldn't eat toy parts.

What kind of 8 year old swallows 30 non-food items without realizing that they aren't food?

Does she also eat pictures of food because they look like food?

I do feel badly for the girl and the parents, but for the love of God, this is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. I actually think it is just too dumb even for a really dumb kid. Something in this story is just off.

 

[Stella3]

What kind of 8 year old swallows 30 non-food items without realizing that they aren't food?

Does she also eat pictures of food because they look like food?

I do feel badly for the girl and the parents, but for the love of God, this is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. I actually think it is just too dumb even for a really dumb kid. Something in this story is just off.

Yes, sounds like Mom or Dad made her eat the balls and then regurgitate this "story". JMO.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Yes, sounds like Mom or Dad made her eat the balls and then regurgitate this "story". JMO.

The thought crossed my mind, too.

Something is up there.

 

[ammo]

Those parents definitely don't want me on the jury. I pulled out the kids Magnetix and stuck one in my mouth to see if it was tasty enough to swallow a big handful. If that girl voluntarily swallowed more than one, I'd hate to see what they have been feeding her all these years.

 

[bumbershoot]

we have this toy and my son received an add on set from his friend at his birthday so they are still being sold just with more warnings. My son likes to play with them but it is a toy with a special "hiding" place and he can play it and then pick up all the pieces and put it away. His 3 year old brother can't play it because of the hazard it poses to young children.

Part of the problem that led to the recall is that the toy *breaks*. The magnets come off/out of where they are supposed to be, and then that magnet is later found by a little one.

So if you're going to continue to allow your older to play with this toy that's dangerous for your younger, *please* inspect each piece as it's put away, so that you know if the toy has lost a magnet (or worse, more than one).

 

[Sleepy]

There is no pleasure in just swallowing candy whole, so I have a hard time buying the candy argument.

Some people actually swallow things because they like the way it feels when going down the throat. Strange I know, but this is the reason.

 

[Mom2Angels]

I found this in the article on knbc.com -

http://www.knbc.com/news/16377057/detail.html

"She's only been in America three years, and while she was in Russia, which is where she is from, in the orphanage ... they told us she ate everything she could get her hands on," Jason Lents said

 

[allison443]

Part of the problem that led to the recall is that the toy *breaks*. The magnets come off/out of where they are supposed to be, and then that magnet is later found by a little one.

The magnets that come off are the tiny disc-shaped magnets that are attached to the end of the colored plastic logs and are meant to hold the logs together. These tiny magnets are the hazard that led to the recall, iirc. In the article in the OP, the ten year old girl swallowed the plastic logs themselves as well as the larger silver steel magnetic balls--not the tiny disc-shaped magnets.
Definitely not a toy for little kids!

 

[reeddi]

You know I can't for the life of me think of the name of it but there is a disease that causes some people to eat anything. When the remark about the orphanage saying she eats all the time was posted it, triggered a conversation I had with a friend of mine about her child.

There is missing link in his brain the causes him not to know when he is full - so he tries to eat all the time. And he will try to eat anything if food is not available. I wish I could remember what it is called but I know she has to watch him like a hawk.

 

[HoneyBee06]

You know I can't for the life of me think of the name of it but there is a disease that causes some people to eat anything. When the remark about the orphanage saying she eats all the time was posted it, triggered a conversation I had with a friend of mine about her child.

There is missing link in his brain the causes him not to know when he is full - so he tries to eat all the time. And he will try to eat anything if food is not available. I wish I could remember what it is called but I know she has to watch him like a hawk.

There is a disorder in the DSM-IV called Pica where children eat things not meant to be eaten...like plastic, rubber, dirt...and pretty much anything.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

That sounds like something from Grey's Anatomy.

 

[tmarquez]

Oh brother! All the more reason to supervise her.

I found this in the article on knbc.com -

http://www.knbc.com/news/16377057/detail.html

"She's only been in America three years, and while she was in Russia, which is where she is from, in the orphanage ... they told us she ate everything she could get her hands on," Jason Lents said

 

[famofsix]

I found this in the article on knbc.com -

http://www.knbc.com/news/16377057/detail.html

"She's only been in America three years, and while she was in Russia, which is where she is from, in the orphanage ... they told us she ate everything she could get her hands on," Jason Lents said

well that at least explains it.

 

[Castlebound]

My DS10 has several of these sets and my DD8 has some of the Polly Pockets with the magnets in the Pollys and their clothes. DD had a couple pieces of the clothes lose their magnets. She just threw them away after telling me about it. These toys have age suggestions on them so that you don't give them to a two year old to play with. However parents need to decide if their child is ready to play with any toy no matter what the age suggestion says on the box. At 10 my DS has several toys that are not for little kids including a chemistry set. Right now all of the "big kid" toys go in the top of his closet when we have smaller kids over. There will probably come a time when the door to his room is locked because little kids just don't need to be in there. It is called being responsible! If this girl has a known problem with eating things she shouldn't then the parents are totally at fault!