Button batteries are dangerous to kids, especially toddlers, and cause severe injuries when swallowed.
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Did You Know
The coin-sized batteries children swallow come from many devices, most often mini remote controls. Other places you may find them are: singing greeting cards, watches, bathroom scales and flameless candles.
It takes as little as two hours to cause severe burns once a coin-sized button battery has been swallowed.
Once burning begins, damage can continue even after the battery is removed.
Kids can still breathe with the button battery in their throats. It may not be obvious at first that something is wrong.
Repairing the damage is painful and can require multiple surgeries.
The batteries can become lodged in the throat, burning the esophagus.
Each year, about 3,500 button battery swallowing cases are reported to U.S. poison control centers.
Keeping Your Kids Safe
Electronic devices are part of daily life. It only takes a second for your toddler to get hold of one and put in his mouth. Here are a few easy tips for you to follow to protect your kids from button battery-related injuries.
Top Tips for Battery Safety
SEARCH your home, and any place your child goes, for gadgets that may contain button batteries.
SECURE button battery-controlled devices out of sight and reach of children and keep loose batteries locked away.
SHARE this life-saving information with caregivers, friends, family members and sitters.
In Case of Emergency
Keeping these batteries out of reach and secured in devices is key, but if a child swallows a battery, parents and caregivers should follow these steps:
Go to the emergency room immediately. Tell doctors and nurses that your child may have swallowed a battery. If possible, provide the medical team with the identification number found on the battery’s package.
Do not let the child eat or drink until a chest x-ray can determine if a battery is present.
Do not induce vomiting.
Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 202-625-3333 for additional treatment information.
Preventing Injuries. Protecting Families.
The Battery Controlled is a partnership to raise awareness about the severity of this issue and share information with parents, caregivers and the medical community.
Launched by Energizer and Safe Kids Worldwide, this effort is committed to helping parents prevent children from swallowing coin-sized button batteries.
Is your organization interested in joining The Battery Controlled as a partner?
