Magnetic toys: the emerging problem in pediatric ingestions.

Acute abdominal pain in children presents a diagnostic dilemma. Although most children with acute abdominal pain have self-limited conditions, the pain may herald a surgical or medical emergency. Timely diagnosis is essential so treatment can be initiated and morbidity is prevented. There are common conditions that cause problems in most age groups (such as appendicitis) and others that are usually confined to a specific age group (such as intussusception). In younger children, in addition to anatomical causes of abdominal pain, foreign body ingestions may cause distress. It is crucial for a clinician to remember this increasingly common cause of abdominal pain to avoid complications such as bowel obstruction, intestinal necrosis, and perforation. We present the case of acute abdominal pain due to ingestion.