AIBU to make you aware of the DANGERS OF BUTTON BATTERIES

[123bananas]

I had no idea how dangerous button batteries are until recently.

If swallowed they can corrode through the oesophagus into other organs such as the lungs, heart or even into the spine causing lasting permanent life changing damage.

Information and safety advice on what to do if you think your child has swallowed a button battery.

BBC Article from last year about button batteries.

Not really an AIBU, but it has been on my mind so I thought I would share here so that more people will see it.

YANBU, they are highly dangerous. Much more so than normal batteries. They can corrode right through your airway or oesophagus.

GOSH recently have done an awareness of button batteries.

www.gosh.nhs.uk/news/latest-press-releases/2016-press-release-archive/uk-s-top-paediatric-doctors-warn-devastating-impact-button-batteries

I'm a children's nurse and have looked after patients with life changing injuries because of them.

Yanbu. There was a little toddler died a couple of years ago at our local hospital through swallowing one of these. So sad.

Wow, that is shocking reading. Ever realised quite how bad they could be. Thanks for sharing.

Even though, I knew they were very dangerous, this reminds me to have a look at DS' sound books.

I wonder if it would be a good idea for HV to mention it at the 2 year check? Do toys have this type of battery? Or is it just things like sound books?

Some toys yes. Newer toys are meant to have a safer cover that you can't just pull off to get the battery out.

Yanbu

My eldest wears hearing aids and they have little button batteries. I was so nervous when ds2 started moving and still am when family is over. I am repeatly saying to ds if you drop one look for it ...

No surprise here because our health visitor went ON AND ON about it. Seriously, here we were, brand new parents feeling shellshocked and clueless about the absolute basics of childcare, and she spent 5 minutes of the half hour she was with us waffling about button batteries.

She sounds like a right knob pants she could have been doing something useful instead of waffling on about these

A million times yes. My 2 year old ended up in hospital in November. Then got rushed from that hospital to another one. Had surgery and she was ok thank God.
She had managed to open the car key and get the batteries out. I knew the dangers and always kept loose batteries or of the way. It never occurred to me that she'd prise open the key. Luckily I was in the room when she coughed two up, I searched for the third one in a panic and realised what had happened. Never ever again.

ThePants Fairly pointless to tell you that when you have a newborn, but at the two year check? It's perfectly relevant.

honeylulu Glad your DD is OK now .

Glad to hear your dd is okay now honeylulu.

I wish HV would mention this at the 2 year check if not before. From the moment they start moving and grasping things in their hands everything goes in their mouth. Everyone knows to lock away chemicals, but not button batteries.

I understand accidents happen,
But why would it NOT occur to you to lock away batteries like you do medicines, bleach, AA batteries and matches?!
What do you think babies and children are going to do with them?! You don't leave pennies lying around on the floor for the same reason, maybe I'm BU but I thought it was fairly obvious.
I could understand the car key incident and with hearing aid batteries, but I really worry for people who decide to have children and would think them EATING a battery is fine?!?!

DS2 swallowed his hearing aid battery over ten years ago. I rang the GP and he said "A&E NOW " My friend drove us and they xrayed him and as far I know it came out the other end. He had previously swallowed a ball bearing. It's no wonder I went grey at 37!

I know Scary, I always locked them away because of their size, but only found out just how dangerous they were recently.

I was thinking more of how many everyday items they are in that we might leave lying around. I think sound books and toy trains have safety screw on covers to stop access, but car keys and calculators might just be left lying around and I am not sure people realise how easy it is to get the batteries out.