On August 14, 2007, Mattel Inc. recalled about 8.3 million Polly Pocket dolls and accessories with magnets because children can swallow the magnets. If more than one magnet is swallowed, they can attract and cause intestinal perforation or blockage, which could be fatal.

Since November 2006, in which Mattel recalled about 2.4 million play sets, the company has received more than 400 reports of the magnets falling off the toys. Mattel has received three reports of serious injuries to children who swallowed more than one magnet, all of which suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery.

The recalled Polly Pocket toys are plastic dolls and accessories with small, one-eight-of-an-inch magnets in diameter embedded in hands and feet of some dolls and in the accessories. The magnets are intended to help pieces attach to the doll or to the doll’s house. Model numbers for the recalled toys are printed on the bottoms of the largest pieces on some play sets.

Recalled Mattel toy sets were sold at toy stores and other retailers from May 2003 through November 2006 for between $15 and $30.

Consumers who can’t locate a model number on their products should contact Mattel at 888-597-6597. They should also immediately remove the toy from children and contact the company for a voucher for a replacement toy.

For more information, customers may also visit the company’s website.

Source: “Additional reports of magnets detaching from Polly Pocket play sets prompts expanded recall by Mattel,” US Consumer Product Safety Commission Release #07-273, August 14, 2007.