#Take10 campaign to prevent coin cell battery injuries among children

Keeping small items and medication out of reach, adding locks to doors and baby gates, covering sharp corners, plugging in electrical sockets – we go to great lengths to make our homes safer to protect our young ones. But according to a recent study conducted by Duracell, over a quarter of parents of children aged 0-11 (27%) have never discussed one of the biggest dangers to child safety, lithium coin cells, and a quarter have no idea what they’d do if their child swallowed one.

Over a quarter of parents (27%) were not aware lithium coin cell batteries are of one of the biggest dangers to a child’s safety, and a quarter have no idea what they’d do if their child swallowed one.

Lithium coin cell batteries, sometimes known as button batteries, are small round batteries that are easily ingested and, when stuck in the throat, react with saliva to create caustic soda. This reaction can burn through the food pipe and lead to catastrophic internal bleeding and potential death in as little as two hours. According to the Child Accident Prevention Trust 90% of cell ingestions occur due to loose or in-device batteries.

Aston spoke to nurse and founder of First Aid For Life Emma Hammett.