A mum from East Lancashire has issued a warning to parents after her daughter, who was trying a viral TikTok trend, was rushed to hospital.
14-year-old Tia Sheldon, who lives in Bacup, accidentally swallowed two magnets after trying to copy a trend that used to circulate on video sharing platform, TikTok.
In the trend people take tiny magnetic balls, widely sold as creative toys, and use them as fake facial and tongue piercings.
Tia’s mum, Kelly Sheldon, said: “She didn’t deliberately swallow them. She was copying a TikTok trend that she heard about at school.
“I don’t allow TikTok or magnet toys in my house but my daughter heard about it at school, got some magnets from her friend and tried it.
“While walking in between classes she has forgotten, taken a swig of water and washed the magnets down.”
Tia was taken to Fairfield General Hospital in Bury where doctors gave her an x-ray. As the two magnets appeared to be stuck together, Tia was told to return home and let them pass naturally.
Kelly said: “They said because the magnets were touching they were less likely to cause the damage doctors worry about, in terms of trapping organs.
“They told us to watch out for stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting.
“I am terrified about the long term damage this could cause, it’s so dangerous.
“I am a nervous wreck and I will be until they are out of her system.
“Apart from a stomach ache she is okay in herself. I think she has gotten off extremely lightly as this could have been a whole lot worse – but we aren’t out of danger yet.”
Kelly is now spreading awareness about the “life threatening” danger of the magnets, that can seriously damage a child’s digestive system if swallowed.
Kelly said: “If a 14-year-old girl can fall for it and put her life at risk then what’s to stop a five or six year old child from doing it too?
“I have contacted her school, Valley Leadership Academy in Bacup, asking them to send a letter or message out, warning parents about the risk of ingesting these magnet balls.
“I just want parents to make their children understand how silly these trends are and how dangerous these ‘fidget toys’ can be.
“I don’t think shops should be selling them. There is no need for a child to have a magnet as a toy.”
In 2021, the NHS issued a warning about the trend trend after dozens of children were admitted to hospital for urgent surgery after swallowing magnets, prompting the health service to call for a ban
The magnetic objects are forced together in the intestines or bowels, squeezing the tissue so that the blood supply is cut off.
Ingesting more than one can be life-threatening and cause significant damage within hours.
Professor Simon Kenny, paediatric surgeon and national clinical director for children and young people at NHS England, said: “Magnets are a source of fascination for children, and magnetic toys can look like a cheap and cheerful way of occupying the kids, but ultimately they aren’t safe and shouldn’t be for sale.
“There is nothing fun for children or their parents about surgery to remove magnets that have been swallowed and become stuck together through different parts of the intestines, or the long-term physical problems and internal scarring that can be left behind.
“I would urge parents to be aware of the dangers associated with magnetic toys but ultimately, the only way we can prevent future incidents is to stop these items being sold altogether.”
When you search 'fake piercing magnet trend' on TikTok no videos can be seen as they have been banned from the site.
When the trend is searched the app asks you to assess the dangers of challenges.
It says: "We work to help everyone in out community make informed decisions about how they interact with online challenges.
"Learn how to assess challenges and warnings by the four step process - stop, think, decide and act."
A TikTok spokesperson said: "Our community guidelines make clear that we do not tolerate content that promotes dangerous acts that may lead to harm.
"We have blocked searches associated with these terms. This means if someone attempts to look for this content on our platform, instead of videos they will see a prompt to visit our safety centre, which features advice and support we developed with leading youth safety experts."
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