A medical doctor and mum of three kids, asked 2,000 parents if they knew the warning signs their child swallowed a battery. She was alarmed at the level of ignorance she discovered. We share her advice on how to know your child swallowed a battery, or perhaps might have. We publish this post because we love our kids, and we want every one to be battery-safe.
3 Ways To Avoid Your Child Swallowing a Battery
- Keep small batteries away from curious fingers,when they are not in toys and other devices. This basically means before and after use. You need to agree with other adults where you store fresh batteries, and used ones for recycling.
- Curious kids take batteries out of toys, so you need to make a habit of checking these too. Much the same goes for adult devices and wearables. Check all battery compartments as a regular routine. If one is open, your child may have swallowed a coin battery.
- The small batteries looking like shiny silver coins are the ones to watch. Kids occasionally pop these into their mouths like sweets, or because they enjoy the tingling sensation. A sudden jolt can cause them to swallow a button battery. Keep an eye out for coin batteries missing, or lying around loose.
The Warning Signs a Kid Swallowed a Coin Cell
A smooth, shiny round button battery can travel far if it is small, and then interfere with digestion or breathing. The symptoms are common with other medical conditions. However, if you notice more than one of the following signs, then you know your child may have swallowed a battery:
- Coughing, dribbling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing or breathing.
- Blood after using the toilet, a croaky voice, or not wanting to eat food.
Those signs can also mean something else, as we mentioned earlier. However, if you suspect your child might have swallowed a battery, then don’t take a chance. Take them to emergency room for advice right away!
More Information
Button Batteries Endanger Kids Still – Study
Honey After Swallowing Button Batteries
