After a child “almost died” after ingesting magnets as part of a TikTok challenge, doctors have warned parents about this trend.
Newsweek said Jack Mason, 9, was taken to hospital in Scotland with stomach pains and vomiting last Tuesday.
Following scans, the kid confessed to swallowing several tiny silver magnets. The items caused his intestines to become clogged.
To dislodge the magnets, surgeons at Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children had to remove a portion of Jack’s small intestine and a portion of his large colon.
During the operation, his appendix had to be removed as well.
Parent Shares Freightening Experience Due To TikTok Challenge
Carolann McGeoch, Jack’s mother, shared her freightening experience on Facebook.
Doctors warned McGeoch that the harm caused by these magnets might be so severe that they might not be able to pull through.
She then had to sign my consent to the surgery and acknowledge that “anything might happen” through torrents of tears.
She went on to say that his nine-year-old had been so severely impacted that he had lost his appendix, small intestine, and 30cm of his big colon – all because of some magnets.
ALSO READ: TikToker Urges Followers to Get Vaccinated Before Dying of COVID
Jack is said to have been trying a TikTok challenge in which young people place small magnets in their mouth to give the appearance of a pierced tongue.
Experts Say This TikTok Trend Added The Number Of Hospitalizations
The NHS has already said that the trend has increased hospitalizations.
Medics are asking for a ban on the tiny metal balls.
Professor Simon Kenny, paediatric surgeon and national clinical director for children and young people at NHS England, explained that children are fascinated by magnets. Magnetic toys, he said, seem to be an inexpensive and joyful method to keep children occupied. Nonetheless, he emphasized that magnets aren’t safe and shouldn’t be sold.
He claims that surgery to remove magnets that have been ingested and gotten stuck together via various sections of the intestines, as well as the long-term health issues and internal scars that may be left behind, is not enjoyable for children or their parents.
He also cautioned parents about the risks connected with magnetic toys. However, he claims that the best way to avoid such occurrences is to prohibit these products from being marketed in the first place.
TikTok has previously said that its “primary goal” is to make its online community secure.
TikTok’s Community Guidelines, according to a representative, spell out what types of material they don’t allow on the platform. This includes material that encourages, promotes, or celebrates potentially hazardous behavior.
According to the representative, the material has already been deleted from TikTok.
RELATED ARTICLE: Read how Bryce Halls received so much fame through YouTube and Tiktok