Latest news with #Kluster
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Boy, 7, Nearly Dies After Swallowing Magnets from Popular Game: ‘My Worst Nightmare'
NEED TO KNOW Naomi Rivers said she found her 7-year-old son Eli choking after he swallowed magnets from the game Kluster, which is marketed to ages 14 and up Eli needed emergency surgery and was at risk for severe internal damage from the magnets snapping together inside his body Rivers is now urging others to make sure that the game is not used by young childrenA 7-year-old boy nearly died after swallowing magnets from a popular game, putting him at risk for severe internal damage. On May 11, Naomi Rivers — from Grantham, England — was in her home when she suddenly heard her son Eli cry out in distress while he was watching TV. The 35-year-old found him choking and rushed to his aid. 'He was so panicked and he was really crying, it was really, really awful. I have a fear of choking anyway — it was my worst nightmare come to life,' she told Kennedy News and Media, via the Daily Mail. Rivers said her son looked at her in "pure panic" and admitted to swallowing two magnets from a game, Kluster. 'He was putting one magnet on either side of his hand, and on different places on his body to see if they would stick together,' she said. 'Then he told me he wanted to see if they'd still stick if there was saliva between them — so he put one on the inside and one on the outside of his mouth,' she explained. 'They connected — and then he put them both in his mouth. He said he got the urge to swallow. He was choking on it because they're just smaller than a mint humbug.' Kluster is marketed as a dexterity game. Players take turns placing magnetic stones within a circle of rope, trying to avoid triggering a chain reaction of the magnets snapping together. Borderline Editions, the game's manufacturer, states that the recommended age for playing Kluster is 14 and up, which is noted on its packaging and website. The company states: 'Kluster contains small magnets with a magnetic induction flux greater than 50 kG²mm² which can be ingested. Therefore Kluster is not a toy and should be kept out of reach of children under 14 years old. Magnets stuck to each other or to a metal object inside the human body can cause serious injury or death. If magnets are swallowed or inhaled, seek medical assistance immediately.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Eli was rushed to Grantham and District Hospital, where an X-ray revealed that the magnets snapped together inside of his stomach, traveled to his small intestine and got stuck. 'When we told the doctors he'd swallowed two magnets, a lot happened very, very quickly,' Rivers recalled. 'Because it was more than one, there was a serious risk — they said he needed immediate treatment.' is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Rivers said doctors were concerned the magnets would attract through the walls of vital organs or tissue, causing life-threatening internal damage. They tried using laxatives, performing an endoscopy and keyhole surgery to remove them but all were unsuccessful. With a high risk of internal damage, doctors transferred him to Queen's Medical Center in Nottingham for emergency surgery. 'They tried with multiple instruments and just couldn't get them,' Rivers said. 'In the end they opened him up — the incision was about 10cm, or four inches.' Following the six-hour surgery on May 22, Eli spent four days in the hospital before making a full recovery. Rivers said she has thrown the game away and is now urging other parents to make sure that it's not used by young children. 'You want to encourage children to play with toys to get them off devices — and then something like this happens,' she told the outlet. 'My recommendation would be to not have these magnet toys around at all, and to educate children on how dangerous they are.' Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Boy, seven, almost dies after swallowing 'humbug size' magnets from dangerous game parents want banned
A seven-year-old boy needed emergency open surgery after swallowing two powerful magnets from a children's game that has already raised red flags among safety chiefs over fears it could kill. Naomi Rivers, 35, had left her son Eli Jepson watching TV at their home in Grantham, Lincolnshire, on May 11 when she suddenly heard him cry out in distress. She found him choking and rushed to help. Moments later, he admitted—in a state of panic—that he had swallowed a magnet from Kluster, a game that contains large, humbug-sized magnetic pieces. 'I have a fear of choking anyway—it was my worst nightmare come to life,' said Ms Rivers. At Grantham and District Hospital, an X-ray revealed the magnets had clamped together inside his stomach, then travelled to his small intestine where they became stuck again—posing a serious risk of internal damage. He was transferred by blue-light ambulance to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, where surgeons carried out emergency surgery to remove them. Warnings have previously been issued about the game's powerful magnets, which pose a serious risk to children if swallowed. Parents are now calling for it to be banned altogether. Recalling the ordeal, Ms Rivers said: 'When we told the doctors he'd swallowed two magnets, a lot happened very, very quickly. 'Because it was more than one, there was a serious risk — they said he needed immediate treatment.' Surgeons were concerned the magnets could attract each other through the walls of vital organs or tissue, potentially causing perforations or life-threatening internal damage. Doctors first tried to remove them using laxatives, followed by an endoscopy — a procedure involving a thin, flexible tube with a camera and tools passed through the mouth into the digestive system. When that failed, they attempted keyhole surgery — but ultimately, the magnets could not be separated without opening Eli's abdomen. 'They tried with multiple instruments and just couldn't get them,' Ms Rivers said. 'In the end they opened him up — the incision was about 10cm, or four inches.' Eli spent four days recovering in hospital after the six-hour operation, but has since made a full recovery. His mother has now thrown the game away and urged others to avoid giving magnets to young children. Ms Rivers said: 'You want to encourage children to play with toys to get them off devices — and then something like this happens. 'My recommendation would be to not have these magnet toys around at all, and to educate children on how dangerous they are.' Kluster is marketed as a dexterity-based board game in which players take turns placing magnetic stones within a loop of orange string, trying to avoid triggering a chain reaction as the magnets snap together. Ms Rivers said Eli had been experimenting with the pieces before the accident. 'He was putting one magnet on either side of his hand, and on different places on his body to see if they would stick together,' she said. 'Then he told me he wanted to see if they'd still stick if there was saliva between them—so he put one on the inside and one on the outside of his mouth. 'They connected—and then he put them both in his mouth. He said he got the urge to swallow. He was choking on it because they're just smaller than a mint humbug.' A spokesperson for the game's manufacturer, Borderline Editions, said: 'Kluster is a board game, not a toy, and is intended for players aged 14 and over. 'The box clearly displays a "14+" logo along with the warning: "This is not a toy. Recommended for ages 14+. WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD. "This product contains magnets. Swallowed magnets can cause serious injury. Seek immediate medical attention if magnets are swallowed or inhaled".' They added: 'The box includes a leaflet in multiple languages highlighting the risk that small magnets may pose to young children if ingested. 'To our knowledge, this is the first such incident involving Kluster in the six years since the game was released on the market. 'As a publisher, we cannot stress enough the importance of following the safety instructions and age restrictions.' While the game is allowed in the UK, it was recalled in Canada for posing an ingestion hazard, in 2023. In the recall, the Canadian Government who said it did not meat the countries magnet safety criteria said: 'Small, powerful magnets can be easily swallowed by children of all ages, posing serious and potentially life-threatening risks. 'When more than one powerful magnet is swallowed in a short period of time, the magnets can attract one another while moving through the intestines. This can cause the intestines to twist, creating blockages or tearing of the intestinal walls.' However, the recall added: 'As of December 21, 2023, the company has received no reports of incidents or injuries in Canada.' Similar games involving magnets have been banned in America and Australia over fears of choking hazards. A magnetic game of several names exclusively sold on through Outad Good Life was recalled in the US in June 2024. The games are sold in a blue box with the words 'Magnetic', 'Magnetism', or 'Magnetism Intelligence Strategy Game' on the front of the box. In the recall, the US watchdog said: 'When high-powered magnets are swallowed, the ingested magnets can attract each other, or another metal object, and become lodged in the digestive system. 'This can result in perforations, twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death.' Meanwhile, just yesterday in the UK, a the Magnetic Effect Chess Intelligence Strategy Game sold via TikTok was urgently recalled. The latest recall came over fears it posed a serious risk of injuries and the product has since been removed by the online marketplace.
