Kiwi dad warns about fridge magnets after son swallows 30

  • 24/07/2018

A Kiwi living in Australia is urging parents to remove magnets from their fridges after his young son almost died after swallowing 30 of them.

Five-year-old Noah Lefau was rushed to hospital after he was curled up in pain on the floor at his home in Melbourne.

An X-ray revealed he'd swallowed 30 small fridge magnets, and he needed six hours of surgery.

Experts say magnets can be just as deadly as swallowing button batteries.

Noah had pulled a chair over to the fridge in order to reach the magnets.

Noah and his mother Christelle Lefau.
Noah and his mother Christelle Lefau. Photo credit: Channel 7

Noah's father, Fiso Lefau, who was born in Ōtāhuhu in New Zealand, said he wanted parents around the world to be aware of the danger that magnets can do.

He says parents should "take extra precaution when buying toys that have these types of magnets" and "avoid getting them as it could be harmful or much worse, fatal for any child".

He said some adults also buy the magnets to help with stress and anxiety.

"Definitely do not leave them on the fridge as this mistake could've costed us our little boy."

Newshub.