We don’t enjoy writing posts like this but we have to. That’s because, as battery manufacturers, it is out duty to inform the public. Every time another button battery kills another child we want to weep in frustration, even though we make a different type of battery that does not represent this risk.
How Did a Button Battery Kill Another Child Recently?
That’s a good question every parent and concerned citizen should be asking themselves today, on March 14, 2024. It you are reading this post at sometime in the future, you may well be wondering how could this have happened. The answer lies in how button, also known as penny button batteries and coin batteries work.
- Button batteries are small, squat cylinders of various sizes, something like the buttons on our clothes.
- They power a variety of smaller devices, and are instantly recognizable from their shiny metal cases.
- Button batteries contain potentially toxic materials, but these are contained inside their cases.
So far so good, but a button battery could still kill another person if they swallow it, and the terminals short circuit through their moist internal flesh. What follows is entirely time-driven. Button batteries remaining inside children for several hours could kill them, or maim them permanently.
Time in a Child’s Body Determines What Happens Next
Several factors influence whether another button battery kills another child, or not. The most important precaution is keeping all button batteries away from small children. Even spent ones that have gone ‘flat’ are dangerous, because they still contain sufficient energy to cause serious harm if ingested.
If this first defense fails, then this just leaves one option. Time is the enemy. A child who ingested any battery must arrive at an emergency room with surgical facilities as soon a possible. Time is of the essence here. We wish we were over-exaggerating, but unfortunately we are not.
More Information
Time To Party But Not With Button Batteries
