Community Chat

[MorningLover]

AUGUST 29, 2022

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A growing number of children are being injured by small button batteries, according to new research. The little batteries are found in many items, including remotes, toys, watches and key fobs. 

Babies and toddlers put everything in their mouths, including little button batteries, that might be mistaken for a shiny piece of candy. 

A new study released Monday says more kids are being treated in emergency departments after accidentally ingesting the batteries.

Reese Hamsmith was just 18 months old when she died after accidentally ingesting a button battery. Originally doctors thought she had croup. 

"It was the following day we realized there was a battery missing from a remote in our home," her mother Trista said. "We rushed to the hospital and within 30 minutes they confirmed that she had in fact swallowed that battery." 

Reese spent weeks in the hospital, had surgeries and went into cardiac arrest three times. "Ultimately, this time, we just didn't get her back," Trista said. 

New research in the Journal of Pediatrics shows battery-related ER visits more than doubled from 2010 to 2019 compared to previous years.

"There's more technology out there, there are more devices, the button batteries are found in cellphones in remotes, in electrical candles.

They're everywhere," Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Dr. Ian Jacobs said. Jacobs is the head of the button battery task force at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. 

"The battery is ingested into the esophagus, in just a matter of hours, it could burn a hole through the esophagus into the windpipe, or into the aorta and can be suddenly fatal. So these things are very dangerous and parents have to be very vigilant about their electronic devices," Jacobs said. 

The family created Reese's Purpose to educate families. A Reese's Law was signed earlier this month, which establishes safety standards including requiring child-resistant packaging and warning labels on products. 

"Knowing that 10 years down the road, we're not going to be hearing about these ingestions from the products because we did move forward is a little bit of comfort," Trista said. 

Every year more than 2,800 kids are treated in emergency rooms after swallowing button batteries according to Safe Kids and about 12% are hospitalized.

[SilleeMee]

There have been cases where those thin round batteries get inhaled into the windpipe and upon examination of an x-ray it's almost invisible when it gets turned sideways...looks like a thin line and part of the natural anatomy of the windpipe so the thing can be missed and the person can die of asphyxiation. I worked in a hospital where that happened to a child there in the ER.

[Spurt]

Where are these parents and why arent they putting things out of the reach of kids that contain these batteries!!!!!......why would babies and toddlers have access to things like key fobs, watches, remotes, and electronics.....and if a toy has a button battery DONT BUY IT! -----Problem Solved!!!!  Once again, who does the RESPONSIBILITY LIE WITH?????....hint: not the battery manufacturers!

[Judaline]

I told someone about this who has a toddler. She knew more than I did! She said you should give them honey immediately as it coats the battery so it doesn't get stuck and get them to the hospital asap. If this helps someone I'm glad I posted it. 

You know, old people use hearing aid batteries that I think are even smaller. You have to be vigilant. It's a scary world.