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Surprising cause of toddler's sore throat

Doctors have made a surprising discovery in the throat of a hospitalised toddler.

The boy, 3, from the US, was taken to hospital after he complained of “persistent left-sided sore throat”, according to his case in the Journal of Emergency Medicine.

He was examined and doctors found six 3mm spherical rare earth magnets.

A boy, 3, is seen with magnetic balls lodged in his throat and abdomen.
A boy, 3, was hospitalised after swallowing six magnets. Source: Elsevier

Two were found in the lower pharyngeal space, which is part of the throat, while four more were found in the small intestine.

The toddler was placed under general anaesthetic and the magnets were removed “without issue”.

Doctors noted they shared this research to warn about children ingesting small magnets.

A mum in England warned of the dangers about the magnets in November when her three-year-old boy swallowed 19 magnets that belonged to his brother.

Six were found in his bowel and had to be cut out.

A Melbourne boy also nearly died in 2018 after he swallowed 30 magnets.

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