Have you ever been frustrated when the battery-operated novelty, game, or set of fairy lights you just bought needs a screwdriver to add or remove batteries, or take out the bit of plastic that prevents it from operating until it’s purchased?
There’s a good reason why these items have fairly recently become so hard to get into and send you searching for the tiniest screwdriver you can lay your hands on – it’s because the button batteries that operate them can be really, really dangerous if they’re swallowed. If they become stuck in a child’s windpipe they’re a choking risk, and if they get caught in their food pipe they could harm or kill a child within 2 hours. The batteries react with the saliva to create caustic soda (the chemical often used to unblock drains) and can cause internal burns, internal bleeding, and even death if swallowed.
So, how do we keep children safe from these lethal items?
- If an item has a screw to hold the battery cover in place, USE IT, don’t just put the cover back on and hope it doesn’t come off…
- If batteries are not secured with a screw, keep them out of the reach of children unless they are being supervised closely.
- Store spare batteries in a closed contained, well out of their reach.
- Recycle spare batteries as soon as possible, but in the meantime store them out of the reach of children until they can be removed from the home.
- If the worst happens, call 999 or take them to A&E immediately; do not allow them to eat or drink anything, and don’t make them sick.
If your children are old enough to understand the danger, you could show them how dangerous they are by placing a battery between 2 pieces of meat or chicken and leaving it there for 2 hours – then take a look. It will have eaten through the flesh and will provide a very visual reminder of how dangerous they can be (click here to take a look at this 2-minute BBC video for more information.)
Stay safe this festive season!
