Have you heard about button batteries?
Lots of toys come with little batteries in them. These can be very dangerous if swallowed. Batteries can cause burns, vocal cord paralysis, pneumonia and even death.
- Is your child coughing, wheezing or drooling?
- Vomiting? Complaining of chest discomfort?
- Having trouble swallowing?
- Decreased appetite?
- Refusing to eat?
- Gagging with eating?
All these can be a sign your child is sick, but they also can be warning signs your child has swallowed something harmful like a battery. A child that has ingested a battery needs to be seen in the ER.
- Do not wait for symptoms to develop, take your child to the hospital for evaluation.
- Do not try to make your child vomit.
- Do not allow your child to eat or drink until they have been evaluated by a medical professional.
The hospital may consider doing an xray. If a battery is found, they may also try to remove it and then observe your child. Check around your house for products that may contain small batteries. Things like watches, remote controls, key chains and small toys. Keep anything that has small batteries out of reach of children. Remember safety only takes seconds.