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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

‘I DO NOT want to see you at Christmas’

240 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!

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‘I DO NOT want to see you at Christmas’
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‘I DO NOT want to see you at Christmas’
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‘I DO NOT want to see you at Christmas’
OP posts:
Sogfree · 17/12/2025 07:05

Thank you @SelotapeChicken A timely reminder.

I work with SEN children, many non verbal and PICA, and am shocked every Christmas at how many of them turn up to school with clothing items with these batteries in.

theunbreakablecleopatrajones · 17/12/2025 07:08

Really useful thread @SelotapeChicken - I also hope the Mail picks this one up. The BBC's morning life also does a lot of costumer type contact

Contacts below if you wanted to drop them a line (add pics!) - they'd want to talk to you as a surgeon who deals with this for a human angle

[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]

RoamingToaster · 17/12/2025 07:08

Thank you. I’d read the sad story of a 2 year old dying from one a while ago and so I’ve always been cautious, but I never knew about the advice about the honey.

Thank you and hope you have a good Christmas!

greensupersonicracer · 17/12/2025 07:10

Thank you OP ❤️ Just in case anyone else naively didn't realize, all the roboalive toys toddlers love are button batteries.

Jammymare · 17/12/2025 07:10

Thank you OP, I remember last years thread, and as a mother to a child with hearing aids I genuinely think they need to publish the ham picture on the packaging like they do with warnings on cigarettes.
I am scrupulous about counting batteries in and out of the packet now!

Superfrog3 · 17/12/2025 07:13

Wishing for a quiet Christmas for you! Also thank you for the job you do and the lives you have no doubt saved 💓

KimTheresPeopleThatAreDying · 17/12/2025 07:14

Thank you OP. MN should pin this.

Freyer · 17/12/2025 07:19

Thanks OP! Have a lovely Christmas and I hope we don’t need to see you either 😂🙈

Owly11 · 17/12/2025 07:20

Wow never heard of orbeez but i cannot believe that these are given to autistic kids. They look so appealing and just like sweets when small. To give them to any child as a toy is absolute madness. Thank you for your post op.

User00000043297 · 17/12/2025 07:24

🙏

Londonnight · 17/12/2025 07:25

Thank you for posting this. The tip for honey is really good. I have a two year old grandson and I will pass this message on to his parents.

BustyLaRoux · 17/12/2025 07:25

Thank you. Bump.

SnipThoseApronStrings · 17/12/2025 07:27

Thanks for the reminder OP, I hope I don’t see you either!

Anotherdayanotherpound · 17/12/2025 07:27

Bumping. Always good to be reminded of this

JustMerelyHere · 17/12/2025 07:33

Thank you OP for this important and timely reminder. I hope you havea QUIET Christmas.

SockQueen · 17/12/2025 07:38

JustMerelyHere · 17/12/2025 07:33

Thank you OP for this important and timely reminder. I hope you havea QUIET Christmas.

NHS superstition - you've just cursed her!Confused We never say the Q word!

Thank you, @SelotapeChicken from an emergency anaesthetist, thankfully not on call this Christmas. Recently had to have stern words with DH for buying a load of flashy LED balloons for a party, which all contained, if popped, a very edible-sized button battery light.

Also, please everyone make sure that guests/people you are visiting, store their own medication safely out of your children's way - that's from personal as well as professional experience.

JustMerelyHere · 17/12/2025 07:40

SockQueen · 17/12/2025 07:38

NHS superstition - you've just cursed her!Confused We never say the Q word!

Thank you, @SelotapeChicken from an emergency anaesthetist, thankfully not on call this Christmas. Recently had to have stern words with DH for buying a load of flashy LED balloons for a party, which all contained, if popped, a very edible-sized button battery light.

Also, please everyone make sure that guests/people you are visiting, store their own medication safely out of your children's way - that's from personal as well as professional experience.

Edited

Oh no, it was a typo. I meant Quality Street!

SelotapeChicken · 17/12/2025 07:42

JustMerelyHere · 17/12/2025 07:33

Thank you OP for this important and timely reminder. I hope you havea QUIET Christmas.

NOOOO I DO NOT CLAIM THIS 🤣

OP posts:
Newsenmum · 17/12/2025 07:44

Thank you. Does anyone know of any popular children’s items that have them?

Mooninjune · 17/12/2025 07:49

Many thanks OP.

Princessdebthe1st · 17/12/2025 07:51

Can I also add these tiny magnets to the watch list. They are often very colourful and a perfect size for a child to swallow. The magnets are INCREDIBLY strong and if more than one is swallowed they can pull loops of bowel inside the body and compress them potentially causing damage to the bowel. I think they should be banned as toys altogether.

Cursula · 17/12/2025 07:51

Thanks OP

LassoOfTruth · 17/12/2025 07:54

Bump
Thanks OP

Princessdebthe1st · 17/12/2025 07:55

One other thing, if you think your child /vulnerable person has swallowed one of the batteries, as the OP said time is of the essence. Go straight to A&E but don't wait in a long queue to be triaged. Go to the front and tell them you think they have swallowed a button battery and it is a time critical emergency.

SpanThatWorld · 17/12/2025 07:58

Also be very aware of any visiting relatives who use hearing aids.

At least most toys have lockable battery drawers but hearing aids often just open the door to switch off leaving the battery accessible and easy to accidentally lose. Roll on the day when they're all rechargeable.