Batteries can cause choking and burns if swallowed. Here's what to know before you hand out those new toys.
No matter how many Montessori-style wooden toys a baby has, there’s no replacing the delight in their face when they see a light-up toy sing their favorite tune. But even for parents who aren’t perpetually annoyed by all the noise, questions about the safety of these battery-operated devices are on all our minds. And with the holidays upon us, you may wonder: Do I need to worry about the batteries in my kid’s new toys?
Keep reading to understand the risks and symptoms of battery ingestion in young kids, how to keep your child safe and your home low-risk, and what to consider when buying battery-operated toys for kids.
What are the risks of button batteries for kids?
“The most dangerous batteries that children swallow are the disc or coin cell batteries (button batteries) that are 20mm in diameter,” says Nicole Reid, managing director of the National Capital Poison Center and associate director of Poison Control. These are about the size of a nickel, she notes.
A child swallowing a button battery is an “emergency situation” requiring immediate action, says Christine Vitale, an injury prevention manager at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Button batteries are easily swallowed and can become a choking hazard, adds Vitale. What’s more, an ingested button battery can “cause a hole in the esophagus and damage surrounding tissues like the trachea and aorta,” says Dr. Thomas J. Sferra, chief of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital. Serious or even fatal damage can occur in as little as two hours, so it’s vital to get medical care right away.
“If battery ingestion is suspected, call Poison Control right away at 1-800-222-1222 and take the child to the emergency department immediately for an X-ray and evaluation,” says Reid. She adds that severe burns can also happen if the battery gets stuck in the ear or nose — which is more likely for smaller button batteries. Parents of kids under age 6 need to be especially vigilant since they are “the ones who most frequently swallow foreign bodies,” says Sferra. The younger the child, the greater the risk, due to their smaller esophagus.
According to Reid, 59,751 button battery ingestions in kids younger than 6 were reported to the National Capital Poison Center between 1985 and 2019. That’s just under 2,000 instances per year — and the results of this hazard can be devastating to families. “During that same period, 210 children had major life-threatening outcomes or permanent disability,” she says. “And 30 children died.”
Are there risks with other batteries?
A house fire is one potential risk of the lithium-ion batteries in kids’ toys found in devices such as electronic toy cars and remote control airplanes. Newly released data from the Fire Safety Research Institute shows that there has been an increase in incidents involving devices powered by lithium-ion batteries across the world.
For modern homes with synthetic furnishings, you may have less than three minutes to escape in case of fire — and less than one minute if a battery fire arises from a larger device, like that brand-new scooter or e-bike. Learning about battery safety can keep families safe.
Although other types of batteries (think the usual AAs) are less risky, experts tell Yahoo Life they recommend parental supervision for any kids under age 10 who might be handling cylindrical batteries, as these can still be a choking hazard. Even older kids aren’t entirely immune from danger.
“In the teen years, behaviors such as ‘testing’ a battery by placing it on the tongue or ‘holding’ the battery in the mouth start to emerge,” says Reid. “Often, the teen (or adult) gets startled by the buzz on the tongue and inadvertently swallows the battery.”
Do “safer” batteries exist?
In 2020, Duracell released a “breakthrough” lithium coin battery with a bitter coating — theoretically making these batteries safer. However, Sferra says that “no button battery is considered safe,” even with this news.
There’s also a flaw in the bitter taste plan, says Vitale. “By the time kids taste it, it’s in their mouth. They may swallow before spitting it out.” Reid adds that “no data shows that bittering agents are effective in preventing other types of poisonings or limiting their severity, and there are no data to show that children have fewer injuries from batteries that are coated with a bitterant.”
“None of these [safety features] substitute for the parent diligently assuring children do not have access to button batteries,” adds Sferra.
What should parents do if they think their kid ingested a battery?
The most important thing to do is to take immediate action (like calling Poison Control) to help your child if you suspect they may have swallowed a battery, regardless of the type of battery and even if it is a spent, or dead, battery.
“Children may not have any symptoms immediately after swallowing a battery, but the battery can still be doing damage to the tissues,” says Reid. “The absence of symptoms is not a reliable indicator of whether a battery was swallowed or the extent of the possible injury.”
Additionally, she adds that if a child develops any of the following symptoms with no known cause, parents should suspect battery ingestion.
Difficulty breathing or wheezing
Drooling
Vomiting
Chest discomfort
Difficulty swallowing, decreased appetite, refusal to eat
Coughing, choking or gagging while eating or drinking
How can parents protect their kids?
All of the experts interviewed by Yahoo Life agree that the best way to protect kids from button battery injury is to never leave a battery within a child’s reach. “Make sure that batteries are locked up and put away,” says Reid. And make sure that “dead” or “spent” batteries are disposed of properly and out of a child’s reach. Along with Poison Control’s battery safety tips, she adds:
Don’t insert or change batteries in front of small children. Children like to imitate their parents!
Never put batteries in your mouth to test them or hold them.
Don’t allow children to play with batteries or battery-powered items that do not have secure battery compartments.
Parents should also regularly check to see what household items contain coin cell batteries, advises Reid. While doing inventory around the house, Reid recommends carefully checking all battery-powered toys and other items kids play with (remote controls, key fobs, flameless candles, etc.). Discard any items that are damaged. Other battery safety tips:
Check for a screw battery cover
“Make sure that anything with button batteries has the cover or battery housing that is screwed in (requires a screwdriver to remove) and doesn’t just pop off,” says Vitale. “Battery-operated toys are better than anything plug-in for kids under 10. You just need to be careful with the batteries, especially button size.”
Beware of musical greeting cards
“Remember that anything that lights up or makes a sound has a battery, so be extra careful with musical greeting cards,” says Vitale. Because “paper is torn easily,” it wouldn't take much for kids to rip the card and expose the battery.
Be careful with dead batteries
“When you remove dead batteries, be sure to dispose of them and keep them out of reach,” says Vitale. “Even a swallowed dead battery can cause severe injury.”
What to consider when shopping for kids
Parents should also be mindful of battery safety when they’re shopping for battery-operated items for their home. These tips also apply to anyone gifting an item for a child, such as a grandkid, niece, friend’s baby, etc.
“Only give age-appropriate toys to a child, and thus avoid the risk of ingestion of a button battery or other toy part,” says Sferra.
“Only choose toys that require a screwdriver or tool to open the battery compartment,” says Reid. She warns that child-resistant closures — while seemingly just as safe — aren’t as protective. “We’ve all had the experience of watching children get into products that are supposed to be child-resistant.”
Remember that children are curious and “will often open up compartments, break open or dismantle toys to see what is inside,” Reid adds. If necessary, parents and caretakers can reinforce closures with heavy duct tape to make it more difficult for kids to get into.
Sferra says to buy only as many batteries as required for the toy and keep them sealed in the original package until they’re put into the toy. “Any button battery not used should be placed out of the reach of children.”
Any toy that needs a button battery should first be given to the parent so they can ensure that “the battery is in the toy and the compartment is securely closed,” Sferra adds.
The takeaway
Although the likelihood of a child swallowing a battery is small, the risk is high. Sferra recommends parents think of it this way: “If a button battery becomes stuck in the esophagus, there is a high likelihood that ‘something bad’ will happen.” It’s imperative that parents exercise battery safety, especially with button batteries, and get help right away if they think something has been ingested.
“Pediatricians treat this as an emergency,” says Sferra, because it is an emergency.
