Parents are being warned about the dangers of button batteries which can burn through the throat or stomach if swallowed by children.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has joined forces with the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) for a new campaign raising awareness of items that are commonly ingested by children.
If swallowed, button batteries, also known as button cell batteries or coin batteries, can cause major damage to internal organs, the safety experts say.
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The Nil by Mouth campaign focuses on giving families the knowledge on how to prevent young children from ingesting these batteries, as well as other dangerous items such as magnets and household cleaning products.
RoSPA has launched a new webpage outlining the risks of button batteries and what to do if you think a child has swallowed one.
These batteries are found in a range of household items, including electronic toys, watches, remote controls, car key fobs and LED lights. They come in a variety of sizes but most are 1-2cm in diameter. This means they are of a similar size and shape to some sweets, so can be easily swallowed.
Ashley Martin, RoSPA’s public health adviser, said: "RoSPA is aware of a number of deaths and some serious injuries in the UK as a result of children swallowing button batteries. If you think a child may have swallowed a button battery, seek medical advice immediately. Remember that time is very much of the essence."
RoSPA also has the following advice for parents. More information can be found here.
What you should do if you think your child has swallowed a button battery?
- These batteries can cause serious internal damage. When combined with saliva, the electrical current from the battery produces caustic soda that can burn through the throat or stomach and can cause further damage to other internal organs.
- If you suspect your child has swallowed a button battery, you should take them to your nearest Accident and Emergency (A&E) department immediately.
- Do not give your child anything to eat or drink or try to make them sick. If possible, try to find out what kind of battery your child swallowed but do not delay taking them to hospital if you cannot immediately see what they have swallowed.
How do I keep my child safe?
- Look around your home for items containing button batteries.
- Check that battery compartments are secure.
- Keep new batteries in their original blister packaging, and when not in use keep in a locked cupboard.
- Toys are legally required to have lockable compartments, but it is still recommended that you conduct checks to make sure they are secure.
- Some products are not legally required to have lockable compartments so ensure these items are moved high out of reach and sight of young children.
- Only buy toys and other equipment from reliable sources as they are more likely to have passed safety regulations.
- When a battery has run out of power it still has some charge that can cause damage if swallowed. Dispose of it safely straight away if you can, but make sure any used batteries are kept well out of reach of children.
- Take care when changing batteries to make sure the compartment is secured afterwards, then make certain that the old battery is kept out of reach of children until it can be disposed of safely.
- Batteries should not be put in the household rubbish. Check the disposal arrangements in your area. Many supermarkets have battery disposal bins.
