A young girl was recently hospitalized after swallowing 37 magnets. Three year old Payton Bushnell, of Portland, Oregon, is currently in full recovery after undergoing emergency surgery to remove the Buckyball toy magnets from her stomach and intestines.
Although originally recalled due to a violation of the Federal Toy Standard, the high-powered magnets are now available for sale as a "13+" toy for adults.
But when it comes to "toys for adults," how do we prevent our kids from getting their hands on them?
The company that makes Buckyballs posted a statement on their website:
Buckyballs was saddened to learn that a 3-year old girl in Oregon had swallowed high-powered magnets but we are relieved that she is expected to make a full recovery. This unfortunate incident underscores the fact that Buckyballs and Buckycubes are for adults. They are not toys and are not intended for children. We urge all consumers to read and comply with the warnings we place on all our products, on our website and in stores. Please keep these products out of the hands and reach of all children.
So how do you keep products that seem like toys out of the hands of children?
One thing to do would be to keep them out of the house. But if that's not an option, make sure you read all of the labels and talk to your kids about what is a toy and what isn't. Although Payton's parents didn't realize what kind of damage these toys could do to her intestines, we have to stay informed. I know that Buckyballs aren't labeled as toys, but kids won't know the difference so I plan to read all of the warnings much more carefully from now on.
How do you prevent your children from playing with "adult" toys and making sure that they stay safe?
Image via nevermindtheend/flickr
