When toys turn deadly: What parents need to know about swallowed objects

For toddlers, the world is a playground of curiosity. A shiny coin, a colourful sequin, a button on the floor: everything is a potential discovery. But when these objects end up in a child’s mouth, harmless play can also quickly spiral into a medical emergency.

Doctors say cases of children swallowing foreign objects are rising rapidly, fuelled not only by carelessness but also by a new generation of toys filled with detachable and dangerous parts.A Silent Threat Inside the PlayroomCoins, buttons, and beads have long been known hazards. But magnets, in particular, have emerged as an insidious new risk. High-powered magnets, marketed as part of “educational” or “creative” playsets, are small enough to be swallowed without notice.

Unlike coins or marbles, magnets behave differently inside the body.“A few days back, we received a case of two toddler siblings aged three and four who were playing with educational toys that had magnets in them,” said Dr Nitin Jain, Senior Consultant in Pediatric Surgery at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. “They accidentally swallowed between six to eight magnets each. The magnets travelled to different parts of their intestines and stomach, snapped together, and caused grave injuries to their internal organs.

Only a long arduous surgery was able to save them. Foreign objects can be silent killers, and magnets are the most dangerous of them all.”What Parents Can DoDoctors warn that prevention is the only real safeguard. Parents should avoid buying toys with small detachable magnets or cheap playsets with loose parts. All small items, including coins, button batteries, beads, peanuts, and seeds, should be kept out of reach of young children.

Toddlers, in particular, require extra vigilance as they are most prone to mouthing objects.Most importantly, experts stress that parents should not wait for symptoms. If a child is suspected of swallowing magnets or any other foreign object, immediate medical attention is crucial. Delays can allow silent internal injuries to worsen into perforations or sepsis, which can be fatal.For many families, the idea that toys could nearly kill a child feels unimaginable. However, the reality is that with new types of playsets entering homes, the risks are also evolving. As doctors emphasise, awareness is the first line of defence. A moment of vigilance can save children from a catastrophe that no parent should ever have to face.