Emergency doctor issues stark warning to parents as she reveals the most dangerous pool toys for kids
- Meghan Martin works as a pediatric emergency medicine physician in Florida
- The mom-of-four shared the popular items she would never give her own kids
- But are you aware of the risks of these popular children's pool toys?
An emergency doctor has issued a stark warning to parents as she revealed the five most dangerous pool toys for kids.
Meghan Martin works as a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The medical professional, who is also a mom-of-four, recently shared the popular items she would never give her own children to play with this summer.
But are you aware of the risks?
Meghan Martin works as a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida
First up on Meghan's list of pool toys to avoid is reusable magnetic water balloons (stock image)
First up on Meghan's list of pool toys to avoid is reusable magnetic water balloons.
She told Fox News Digital: 'The magnets hold the balloons together and they're kind of a cool idea.
'But those magnets, unfortunately, can kind of pop out and if kiddos swallow magnets, they can actually cause a lot of really bad bowel problems, and they can get really sick.
'So anything with small magnets, we don't like around small kiddos.'
But the device can also cause other injuries.
For instance, Meghan revealed how she was once asked to treat a girl who had put a magnet up each nostril that had pinched the tot's septum together.
Next up, the medical expert took a dim view of neck floats - which were designed to allow kids to float freely in the water.
But she told the outlet: 'These are risky for a couple different reasons. One of them is the asphyxiation risk.
Next up, the medical expert took a dim view of neck floats - which were designed to allow kids to float freely in the water (stock image)
Third on her list of dangerous pool paraphernalia are water wings (stock image)
'Any time something is around the neck, we get concerned about that airway. If they got hung up on something and put pressure on the airway, we don't want that at all.'
There is also the chance that a child wearing a neck float flips over onto their front - likely leaving their faces submerged below the surface.
'I would completely avoid these neck floats — in the bathtub and in pools,' Meghan dished, adding that the inflatables often give parents a false sense of security.
Third on her list of dangerous pool paraphernalia are water wings.
The expert told the outlet: 'For the kiddos, when they use these in the water, they think they can swim when they probably cannot.
'So, later, they may jump in the pool [without the water wings on] and sink right to the bottom because they cannot swim.'
There is also a risk that the water wings will deflate.
Heavy floats are also a hazard, according to Meghan (stock image)
Last but not least, the emergency doctor took a dim view of mermaid tails (stock image)
Heavy floats are also a hazard, according to Meghan.
'Kids can get stuck underneath these floats, or stuck under the water and obviously, that's scary for them.
'If they're stuck under the water, they're not able to breathe, so [I advise] caution with large floats or anything like that.'
Last but not least, the emergency doctor took a dim view of mermaid tails.
The final item on Meghan's list are mermaid legs.
She explained: 'Anything that restricts leg movement or foot movement is a drowning risk.
'We want kids to be able to kick their feet to get back up to the surface.
'If movement is restricted, they may not be able to do that.'
