The Dangers Of Children and Button Batteries

Button batteries do a great job of powering hearing aids, digital scales, tea lights and musical greeting cards, but are you aware of the danger they pose to curious children?

Why are button batteries a risk to children?

If accidentally swallowed, the small, round batteries can get lodged in the oesophagus and burn a hole through its lining. When a child swallows a button battery, the saliva triggers an electrical current. This causes a chemical reaction that can severely burn the oesophagus in as little as two hours. The scary part is that it may not be obvious that something is wrong, since kids can still breathe and act normally after ingesting a battery, though it may seem like your child has a cold or flu.

Is it possible to repair damage caused by a button battery?

Repairing the damage from battery ingestion is painful and often involves multiple surgeries. Even after a battery is removed, kids can experience terrible side effects to their vocal cords and windpipe. Surgeon Kate Cross from Great Ormond Street Hospital has commented, “Button batteries should be treated like poison and kept out of reach of children.” Sadly, in 2015,  a 3-year-old girl in Northern Ireland was left with permanent damage to her throat after a battery got stuck in her food pipe. She started being sick and refusing food and it was not until five days later that an X-ray showed she had swallowed a battery, by this time it had burned a hole through her oesophagus and windpipe. The little girl had to have dozens of surgical procedures, including having part of her oesophagus removed and spent nine months at Great Ormond Street Hospital receiving specialist treatment.

Six ways to help protect your children from button batteries

• Search your home, and any place your child visits, for gadgets that may contain coin-sized lithium batteries. These may include remote controls, singing greeting cards, digital scales, watches, hearing aids, thermometers, children’s toys, calculators, key fobs, flameless or tea light candles, flashing holiday jewellery or decorations
• Keep these devices out of sight and reach of children whenever possible
• Keep spare batteries and small screwdrivers locked away
• Check that battery compartments are screwed down
• If compartments don’t have screws, secure battery covers with a piece of duct/gorilla tape and remember to check it regularly
• Forward this blog to any caregivers, such as grandparents.

What to do if you suspect your child has swallowed a button battery

The symptoms may be tricky to recognise (these include coughing, drooling and discomfort), so if you have even the smallest doubt, don’t take any chances.

• Go to Accident and Emergency immediately 
• Don’t induce vomiting
• Don’t let your child eat or drink anything until assessed by a medical professional.

Learn more about paediatric first aid:

The dangers of button batteries are taught in our First Aid courses. If you are looking for first aid specifically for children, then our paediatric first aid courses are perfect for you.