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‘I DO NOT want to see you at Christmas’

241 replies

SelotapeChicken · 17/12/2025 06:12

Yes I got your attention. I’m not being unreasonable I could save your kids life. Also I am the op of the previous aibu post but I binned my account in a social media cleanse and then realised I needed to try and reshare tbe post. Finally I started a new thread because im
afraid people will see 2024 and think
’zombie thread and disregard my post’

It’s Christmas I am a colorectal surgeon and we have had to perform 5 emergency operations in 2 weeks related to button batteries but this is so far from the normal, it is increasing exponentially
If you suspect your child or elderly person with dementia or anyone with SEND and who has difficulty communicating has swallowed a button battery and I mean if you even notice the compartment on a battery operated toy or tea light is open and missing and you didn't see you child swallow it. GO IMMEDIATELY TO A&E! Button batteries and shiny, easy to grab for
Toddler and easy to confuse for tablets for elderly patients

If your child is over the age of 12 months old give 2 teaspoons of honey every 10 mins until you reach hospital. This is crucial and will coat the battery so it doesn't burn the oesophagus or intestines.
Yes it's not ideal if the child needs surgery but there are emergency procedures we can do to minimise risk of aspiration and the risk of aspiration of honey is less than the risk posed of the battery.

I can’t tell you to give honey to an under 12 month old baby because it’s against nhs guidelines but I would have no issue giving it to my child if I knew they’d eaten a button battery.

In the US, all energiser branded button batteries are coated to taste bitter and covered in a safe dye that dyes the tongue and mouth blue. This is being rolled out the Uk slowly but surely.
There are photos online portraying the damage that honey does to the battery on the slice of ham but it's not to be looked at because the whole point of the honey is to coat the battery and help it not stay too long in one place and move through the digestive tract.

I will also add these absolutely horrific orbeez things to this thread but really they need banning from the world.
If your nursery or child care provider uses them in sensory play, please tell them to stop or move child care providers (hard I know) but orbeez feel brilliant to children and when they have no taste so when they're exploring orally it's very very easy to eat them. And you can't see them on xray until they're a certain size and even then they look like built up gas in the bowel. Obviously if the child has ingested loads then they you see them. However if it's one or 2 they can be tiny when swallowed but they continue to expand and expand, they can case major bowel obstructions.
Please do this. No orbeez and keep and eye out for button batteries (god why are they in so many toys??!)
First photo is a button battery on ham for 30
Mins, second photos is an orbeez removed from
A child and the 3rd shows you how many much they can expand from
The original.
Don't let it impact your life but just keep it at the forefront
If this stops 1 more family from meeting me for surgery on their child then good!

Sensitive content
‘I DO NOT want to see you at Christmas’
Sensitive content
‘I DO NOT want to see you at Christmas’
Sensitive content
‘I DO NOT want to see you at Christmas’
OP posts:
SelotapeChicken · 17/12/2025 23:13

I am sorry for the rage bait but I am so happy to see it’s been well received! Much as we all love kids at Christmas I still do not wish to see yours this year!!

OP posts:
drspouse · 17/12/2025 22:47

sanityisamyth · 17/12/2025 21:19

Putting lithium batteries in the bin is what causes them to explode and set bin lorries and recycling centres on fire when they’re crushed.

Edited

We do not have such small children any more but we have a special recycling drawer for all batteries. You could use a lockable container or put it high up in a cupboard as with medicine?

Jambags · 17/12/2025 22:42

Best post I've seen on here!

Justchilling07 · 17/12/2025 22:04

@Missj25 Well said.

Missj25 · 17/12/2025 21:51

You’re a kind thoughtful woman to post this .
Thankyou .
Wishing you the best always . x

lemondropsandchimneytops · 17/12/2025 21:39

I remember seeing your post before but, as the mum of an almost two year old, thank you for the reminder 🙏🏻

Doesn't bear thinking about.

aWUBBAWUBBA · 17/12/2025 21:23

Thank you for this, OP. I hope not to meet you this Christmas, too! No offence Grin

sanityisamyth · 17/12/2025 21:19

elliejjtiny · 17/12/2025 11:00

Thank you OP. I always end up arguing with FIL because I bin used button batteries (and all other ones too) immediately rather than keep them to be recycled, i don't take chances with batteries and i don't want them lying around.

Putting lithium batteries in the bin is what causes them to explode and set bin lorries and recycling centres on fire when they’re crushed.

stayathomegardener · 17/12/2025 21:11

Bumping

Kidsaregrim · 17/12/2025 21:11

SelotapeChicken · 17/12/2025 06:12

Yes I got your attention. I’m not being unreasonable I could save your kids life. Also I am the op of the previous aibu post but I binned my account in a social media cleanse and then realised I needed to try and reshare tbe post. Finally I started a new thread because im
afraid people will see 2024 and think
’zombie thread and disregard my post’

It’s Christmas I am a colorectal surgeon and we have had to perform 5 emergency operations in 2 weeks related to button batteries but this is so far from the normal, it is increasing exponentially
If you suspect your child or elderly person with dementia or anyone with SEND and who has difficulty communicating has swallowed a button battery and I mean if you even notice the compartment on a battery operated toy or tea light is open and missing and you didn't see you child swallow it. GO IMMEDIATELY TO A&E! Button batteries and shiny, easy to grab for
Toddler and easy to confuse for tablets for elderly patients

If your child is over the age of 12 months old give 2 teaspoons of honey every 10 mins until you reach hospital. This is crucial and will coat the battery so it doesn't burn the oesophagus or intestines.
Yes it's not ideal if the child needs surgery but there are emergency procedures we can do to minimise risk of aspiration and the risk of aspiration of honey is less than the risk posed of the battery.

I can’t tell you to give honey to an under 12 month old baby because it’s against nhs guidelines but I would have no issue giving it to my child if I knew they’d eaten a button battery.

In the US, all energiser branded button batteries are coated to taste bitter and covered in a safe dye that dyes the tongue and mouth blue. This is being rolled out the Uk slowly but surely.
There are photos online portraying the damage that honey does to the battery on the slice of ham but it's not to be looked at because the whole point of the honey is to coat the battery and help it not stay too long in one place and move through the digestive tract.

I will also add these absolutely horrific orbeez things to this thread but really they need banning from the world.
If your nursery or child care provider uses them in sensory play, please tell them to stop or move child care providers (hard I know) but orbeez feel brilliant to children and when they have no taste so when they're exploring orally it's very very easy to eat them. And you can't see them on xray until they're a certain size and even then they look like built up gas in the bowel. Obviously if the child has ingested loads then they you see them. However if it's one or 2 they can be tiny when swallowed but they continue to expand and expand, they can case major bowel obstructions.
Please do this. No orbeez and keep and eye out for button batteries (god why are they in so many toys??!)
First photo is a button battery on ham for 30
Mins, second photos is an orbeez removed from
A child and the 3rd shows you how many much they can expand from
The original.
Don't let it impact your life but just keep it at the forefront
If this stops 1 more family from meeting me for surgery on their child then good!

I’m a health visitor and we talk about button batteries (and other things) at our 6-8 week discharge but I did not know about the honey! Thanks for this!

WilfredsPies · 17/12/2025 21:08

Thank you for a very timely reminder. I wish you a very happy Christmas and hope never to meet you in a professional capacity 🙂

Justchilling07 · 17/12/2025 21:06

SelotapeChicken · 17/12/2025 20:53

Hey so I think it would be good to do in a pet situation because when they did tests to see if the honey works every time they replicated case studies of children who had been given the honey immediately or had none in animals (namely pigs) and the honey was successful in the vast majority of cases. I’ll Add the study here https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10569471/

Thank you op, appreciated.

SelotapeChicken · 17/12/2025 20:56

Sonolanona · 17/12/2025 20:22

Thank you for this!
I had the sheer panic last year when my 3 yr old grandson handed me two button batteries that had just fallen out of a toy car... and I couldn't find the third so we rushed to A+E. ( He's not a child that puts things in his mouth but I couldn't be sure...I found it when we got home!)

Now I look after his 10m old sister who is a crawling hoover... everything in the mouth. We have hidden every battery toy we can find, but still... I have passed this info onto my DD just in case! Would golden syrup also work?

i would have said yes last year but new studies have come out now to suggest it’s something in the honey that also neutralises the acid from the battery? Olive oil works about as well according to studies but I’d guess it would be way harder to get a child to eat 10 ml of olive oil every 10 mins (that is 2 calpol syringes) whereas honey is pretty easy to get kids to eat!

OP posts:
SelotapeChicken · 17/12/2025 20:53

Justchilling07 · 17/12/2025 19:31

Good question.I don’t know, personally l’d rather do this than not @SelotapeChicken would it be the same principle for pets do you think?

Hey so I think it would be good to do in a pet situation because when they did tests to see if the honey works every time they replicated case studies of children who had been given the honey immediately or had none in animals (namely pigs) and the honey was successful in the vast majority of cases. I’ll Add the study here https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10569471/

The use of honey in button battery ingestions: a systematic review - PMC

Button battery (BB) ingestions may cause severe and possibly fatal complications, especially if the battery is located in the esophagus. The application of oral honey has recently been proposed by the National Capital Poison Center in the USA and in .....

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10569471/

OP posts:
Bedismyhappyplace · 17/12/2025 20:52

Bump and thank you

Sonolanona · 17/12/2025 20:22

Thank you for this!
I had the sheer panic last year when my 3 yr old grandson handed me two button batteries that had just fallen out of a toy car... and I couldn't find the third so we rushed to A+E. ( He's not a child that puts things in his mouth but I couldn't be sure...I found it when we got home!)

Now I look after his 10m old sister who is a crawling hoover... everything in the mouth. We have hidden every battery toy we can find, but still... I have passed this info onto my DD just in case! Would golden syrup also work?

HoppityBun · 17/12/2025 20:03

Bump and thank you.

In the same spirit, I hope that we never meet when you’re in your professional capacity

GreenFritillary · 17/12/2025 19:48

Thank you for this vital information. Why aren't those orbeez banned, and why isn't this information widespread?

Forgotthebins · 17/12/2025 19:41

Bump and thanks.

ThatNewMoose · 17/12/2025 19:32

Thank you very much for taking the time to warn people, hope you have a lovely Christmas x

Justchilling07 · 17/12/2025 19:31

Khayker · 17/12/2025 17:47

Great advice thank you. Does giving honey work for pets?

Good question.I don’t know, personally l’d rather do this than not @SelotapeChicken would it be the same principle for pets do you think?

BlueberryPancakes17 · 17/12/2025 19:29

This is excellent!

CosyMintFish · 17/12/2025 19:27

Thank you OP

MyNameIsJane · 17/12/2025 19:17

Bumping as well.

Roastbeefandyorkshires · 17/12/2025 19:15

Thank you