CPSC issues another large recall of toys with small magnets

More than 870,000 dartboards were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission today because the small magnets at the end of the darts can become detached and pose a hazard to children who may swallow them. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforations or blockages, which can be fatal. A similar dart board was recalled in February and last month the CPSC recalled 2.4 million magnetic building toys.

These recalls underscore the dangers that the CPSC highlighted last year when it warned parents about the dangers small magnets pose to children. At the time, the CPSC said it was aware of at least 33 cases of children being injured from ingesting magnets including a 20-month-old who died, and at least 19 other children ranging in age from 10 months to 11 years old who required surgery to remove ingested magnets.

If two or more magnets or magnetic components or a magnet and another metal object (such as a small metal ball) are swallowed separately, they can attract to one another through intestinal walls. This traps the magnets in place and can cause holes (perforations), twisting and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning (sepsis), and death. When multiple magnets are ingested, surgery is required to remove the magnets and sometimes sections of the intestines need to be removed as well.

Like the dart boards recalled in February, the Fun ‘N Games magnetic dart boards were sold at Family Dollar stores nationwide from September 2002 through March 2008 for about $1. Consumers should immediately take the recalled magnetic darts away from children and return them by first class mail to: Henry Gordy International Inc., 809A Market Street, Hermann, MO 65041 for a full refund including tax and shipping costs. For additional information, contact Henry Gordy International Inc., at (888) 790-2700 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. CT Monday through Friday.