A 5-year-old boy presents with reduced appetite and intermittent retching after a possible ingestion of small metallic spheres. He appears clinically well and is playing in the cubicle. A trainee suggests that significant intestinal injury from magnets “needs at least 6 hours to start developing.” You cross-check the RCEM magnet-ingestion guideline.
What is the earliest time interval at which bowel injury may occur after magnet ingestion?
