WARNING: Small button batteries being swallowed by thousands of children... many bleeding to death

Wednesday, October 05, 2016 by: Isabelle Z.
Tags: button batteries, children, esophagus

---

(NaturalNews) If you have children around, you've probably already thought of storing dangerous items like sharp knives and cleaning supplies out of their reach, but there is one particularly harmful item that you might not have given a second thought: button batteries.

Those small, button-sized, disc-shaped batteries used in watches, hearing aids, and other common household devices pose a menacing danger to children when they are swallowed, and they also happen to the perfect size to pose a choking hazard. London's Great Ormond Street Hospital recently brought this issue to the spotlight when they reported a notable rise in the number of children seeking treatment after swallowing this type of battery. In fact, the hospital treats a child per month on average for this problem, and there have also been several deaths.

These slim batteries can get stuck inside a child's throat rather easily. Once the battery is lodged in the child's esophagus and makes contact with the lining of the throat, an electrical current can occur, leading to severe burns. Once a hole is burned in the esophageal lining, the children can bleed to death.

Experts say that children younger than six are the group with the highest risk of this type of accident, but doctors have seen children of all ages suffering from this problem.

Pediatric Surgeon Kate Cross explained that the alkali released when the battery gets lodged in the esophagus is akin to caustic soda. If the battery happens to be facing a certain way, it can burn right into the aorta, causing children to bleed to death. Some children have even placed these batteries into their noses and ears, causing other serious problems.

More than 3,000 button battery incidents every year

The American Association of Poison Control Centers reports that around 3,500 people swallow these button batteries every year, and the majority of those are young children.

BBC News recently highlighted the story of a three-year-old Northern Ireland girl who survived swallowing a watch battery but was left with permanent throat damage. She got sick and lost her appetite, and five days later, doctors discovered through X-rays that she had swallowed a button battery and that it had burned a hole through her wind pipe. She had to undergo dozens of operations, including one in which doctors removed part of her esophagus.

She is still unable to drink or eat, so doctors cut a hole in her neck so they could attach a bag to collect her saliva and the liquids she drinks. This prevents water from going into her lungs. They might eventually have to lift her stomach up into her chest in order to make a new food pipe for her.

An 18-month-old is also being tube fed and facing a number of surgeries after removing the battery cover from a bathroom scale and swallowing the battery. Even though her mother noticed it right away and brought her to the hospital, it had already done significant damage and burned right through to her windpipe in under three hours.

Parents cannot let their guards down

Perhaps you're already doing all the "right" things when it comes to keeping your children safe and healthy, whether it's feeding them homegrown organic vegetables and fruit instead of processed foods, strapping them into the proper car seat every time you drive somewhere, making sure they get plenty of exercise, or covering up electrical outlets. All the precautions in the world are not enough, unfortunately. Keeping children safe and healthy requires a tremendous level of vigilance. Modern distractions, such as smartphones, can take parents' attention away from their young ones just long enough for something tragic to happen, which is why parents need to always be alert.

Sources:

DailyMail.co.uk

ABC15.com

BBC.com