Parents warn of dangers after toddler swallows magnetic beads

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    NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) — A local family said they are feeling thankful after their two-year-old swallowed magnetic beads.

The Cooke family said they found out how serious it was after visiting the pediatricians.

“When they did the X-ray, they found out he had swallowed something,” said Nikki Cooke.

It turned out that Caiden had swallowed magnetic beads.

“At Vanderbilt was when we learned what it was and actually talked to the doctor. I started to say, alright this is a big deal and we need to get this taken care of. It went from zero emotions to my two-year-old is about to have surgery,” said Josh Cooke.

Their son had swallowed 23 of the magnetic beads.

The Cooke’s said Caiden got into the beads after visiting his grandparents.

Doctors said if swallowed the beads can do a lot of damage.

“They can pass through the intestinal tract differently and then when their magnetic force comes into the right field, boom! They attach to each other and they can be on different sides of the intestines. They can trap the bowel, create holes in the bowel, and cause bowel obstruction,” said Dr. Harold Lovvorn, Associate Professor of Pediatric Surgery at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Now the Cooke family is warning others about the dangers of the beads.

“If you’re going to buy them make sure you’re ready to supervise, especially if you have smaller kids in the home or there is the possibility that smaller kids are going to be around then. It doesn’t take but a few seconds,” said Nikki Cooke.

The hospital said it is seeing an uptick in these cases. It has seen three cases ‪in the past 12 days‬. The hospital typically sees about one a month.

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