A hospital in Prague has reported treating five children who accidentally swallowed magnets while attempting a TikTok “piercing challenge.”
The challenge, which the children discovered on the social media platform, involves placing small, sphere-shaped magnets on the tip of the tongue to imitate a tongue piercing.
According to Prague-Motol Hospital, the children unintentionally swallowed the magnets, leading to varying degrees of medical concern. While one child was able to pass the magnets naturally, other patients are still being treated, with two likely to undergo emergency surgeries.
The hospital warned that swallowing multiple magnets, or a combination of a magnet and a metal object, poses significant health risks. Inside the body, these objects can attract each other, potentially pulling together the stomach and intestines. This can result in serious complications, including internal damage, perforation, or inflammation.
The hospital’s statement highlights the dangers of such social media challenges, urging caution and awareness about the potential harm of seemingly innocent online trends.
Image credit: Roman Petrov
