New research from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has revealed that three in ten parents don’t realise how dangerous button batteries can be to their young children – despite them being potentially deadly if swallowed.
The news follows a report from the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), compiled following the tragic death of a three-year-old child, after they swallowed a button battery, otherwise known as a coin battery or button cell battery.
Once swallowed, the batteries react with saliva to form caustic soda, which can burn through soft tissue and cause serious and potentially-fatal or life-changing injuries. And yet, it can be difficult to know when a child has swallowed a button battery, as they may not choke, or even immediately present with any symptoms.
Worryingly, more than half (53 per cent) of parents in the nationwide survey conducted by RoSPA state they would expect to see their child choking if they swallowed a button battery. Additionally, one third (29 per cent) admit their child has choked on or swallowed something that was lying around the house.
Ashley Martin, RoSPA public health advisor, says: “The results of our survey clearly show how easy it can be for a child to swallow something they pick up at home. Due to their inquisitive nature, children under the age of five are most at risk of accidentally swallowing small household items, like button batteries. Often parents don’t even realise the products that use them, and they potentially won’t know the child has swallowed them until they become ill, since early symptoms are internal.”
Professor Mike Thomson, a senior paediatric gastroenterologist and endoscopy expert, said: “This is an important issue that parents need to be made aware of. If a child has swallowed one of these we regard it as a medical emergency and parents should attend an A&E unit as soon as possible. A button battery can corrode through the wall of the swallowing tube and into the lung or one of the large blood vessels in the chest in as little as two hours.
“If ingestion of a button battery is suspected then attend A&E straight away. If your child has vomited some blood or they are becoming increasingly unwell, in pain, or have swallowing difficulties, then it is important to seek medical attention as soon as is possible.
“These button batteries are incredibly dangerous and the packaging needs to be addressed to make them harder to get into. They should not be left lying around even if used.”
Button batteries are used all around the home, in places where children may have easy access to them. More than half of those surveyed (57 per cent) have them in their watches, while 44 per cent discovered they were using button batteries in their car keys, and 40 per cent found button batteries in their children’s toys and games. And when it comes to throwing away old button batteries more than half (53 per cent) say they’re unaware how to dispose of them safely, with 58 per cent wrongly throwing used button batteries in the bin.
Further findings showed that many parents are unintentionally creating an unsafe environment for their children by not making sure harmful items are kept out of reach. Some parents admit they didn’t realise the importance of putting child locks on kitchen doors (14 per cent) cupboards (12 per cent) and medicine cabinets (nine per cent).
Further information on the button battery safety can be found at www.rospa.com/button-batteries
