Northern Ireland

Schoolboy (9) back home following emergency bowel surgery after swallowing magnetic balls in TikTok craze

Preston Adlam recovering at home
Preston Adlam recovering at home Preston Adlam recovering at home

A SCHOOLBOYwho had part of his bowel removed after swallowing magnetic toys linked to a Tik Tok craze is back at home.

There were fears nine-year-old Preston Adlam would not make a full recovery after he became violently ill last weekend.

The Belfast youngster, who attends Glenwood Primary School, complained of stomach pains.

When his condition worsened on Sunday he was taken the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children where a scan revealed three magnetic fidget balls in his bowel.

The magnets are widely on sale as part of the latest fidget toy trend, and if ingested can cause tissue death, bleeding, and infection.

Lyndsey Adlam she believed her son had swallowed the balls while trying a new TikTok craze – where the magnets are placed on top of and under the tongue or cheek to create the illusion of a piercing.

Preston underwent surgery last Sunday to remove the magnets but doctors also had to remove part of the child's bowel which had been damaged.

The family was told the following 48-hours were crucial in determining whether his bowel would be permanently damaged.

However there was good news for the family this week when the young boy's bowel showed signs of recovery and he was released from hospital on Thursday night.

The mother-of-four said her son was recovering at home and is doing "great".

"They said everything has went well.

"They will bring him back in six weeks to check the bowel to make sure everything is going in the right direction.

"It is brilliant to have him home. Whenever they told me that they had to do emergency surgery, everything was just going over my head.

Mrs Adlam added that Preston had since deleted the Tik Tok app from his phone.