According to Children’s Memorial Hospital, each year 3,500 people (mostly young children and the elderly) in the U.S. swallow “disc” or “button” batteries, and many of these incidents result in serious health complications.
As part of their Battery Ingestion Advocacy Project, Children’s Memorial Hospital recently released a helpful new flier on the dangers, preventions and treatments of disc or button battery ingestion for young children. While not widely publicized, this is a serious health issue for kids, as batteries can get stuck in children’s throats and can lead to poisoning, chemical burns and other serious complications.
If you are concerned that your child has ingested a battery or for more information, contact the Battery Hotline at 202.625.3333 or Poison Control 1.800.222.1222.
