A case every parent should know about
A one-year-old child was brought to the "Meuhedet" MALRAD in Hadera after swallowing a magnetic bead. There were no symptoms, but an abdominal X-ray revealed a round foreign object. Doctors chose observation instead of intervention and sent the toddler home with recommendations.
Parents brought a child aged one year and four months to the "Meuhedet" MALRAD in Hadera after noticing that he had swallowed a magnetic bead. The toddler felt well: there was no abdominal pain, no cough, no difficulty breathing, and the examination revealed no abnormalities. The medics did not limit themselves to the initial examination and referred the child for an abdominal X-ray. The image showed a round foreign object in the upper part of the abdomen, which matched the parents' account. Dr. Mohamed Kabha, a pediatrician and medical director of the "Meuhedet" MALRADs in the Northern District, explains that one cannot rely only on the external signs of a child's condition: a toddler with a swallowed magnet may look and feel well, even if the object remains in the gastrointestinal tract. Having assessed the position of the magnet on the image, the specialists decided that additional intervention at this stage was not required. The child was sent home with observation recommendations. Kabha emphasizes the difference between one magnet and several: a single magnet in some cases may pass on its own, whereas several magnets or a magnet together with another metal object can attract each other through the intestinal walls, causing damage, obstruction, a fistula or perforation. Parents were advised to make sure the magnet had passed and to come for a follow-up X-ray.