Swallowing a Battery: Dangers for Children

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Holidays and birthdays can be magical times for children. But celebrations also come with dangers most parents don’t think about — batteries.

Specifically, the worry is over children swallowing lithium batteries, also known as button batteries. These flat, round batteries come in toys, holiday decorations, and singing greeting cards.

Swallowing a battery can cause serious harm and even lead to death. Here’s what you need to know about this health hazard for children.

What Happens If You Swallow a Battery?

If you or a young child swallows a battery, it becomes a medical emergency that requires removal or safe monitoring. Button batteries may look harmless, but they can be deadly if swallowed. Young children are especially at risk because they are prone to putting things in their mouths.

How does swallowing lithium batteries harm a child?

A swallowed battery can harm a child if action is not taken immediately. Sometimes, a battery passes harmlessly through the digestive tract. But if it gets stuck in the esophagus, it reacts with saliva and leaks corrosive chemicals like those found in drain cleaners.

The chemicals from a stuck, swallowed battery can burn a hole through flesh in as little as two hours. Untreated, they can cause death.

According to the National Capital Poison Center, more than 3,500 people of all ages swallow button batteries every year in the United States. More than 2,800 children annually end up in emergency rooms after swallowing lithium batteries. From 1991 to 2021, 66 children died from ingesting button batteries.

What products contain button batteries?

Button batteries come in a wide variety of products. Some of them are:

• Bedwetting monitors.
• Calculators.
• Cameras.
• Car key fobs.
• Cell phones.
• Digital thermometers.
• Flameless candles
• Flashing or lighted jewelry.
• Flashlights.
• Handheld video games.
• Hearing aids.
• Holiday decorations.
• Remote controls.
• Singing greeting cards.
• Toothbrushes.
• Toys.
• Watches.

What metals are in lithium batteries?

One of the reasons swallowing lithium batteries is so dangerous is the possibility of burns. Saliva can trigger an electrical current when someone swallows a battery, causing a chemical reaction that results in severe burns.

This is due to batteries containing heavy metals, such as:

• Cadmium
• Lithium
• Mercury
• Nickel
• Silver
• Zinc

How Can I Prevent Button Battery Ingestion?

The key to preventing button battery ingestion is awareness. Take the following steps:

• Be aware of which products in your home have button batteries.
• Create a safety plan for using and storing the objects.
• Make sure children cannot see or reach button batteries.
• If your home is child-proofed, double-check everything from a kid’s-eye view.

Always have the Poison Center number readily available, such as on your phone or on your fridge. Store used batteries securely, then properly recycle them or throw them out as soon as you can.

Follow these tips to help further prevent children from swallowing a button battery:

• Be aware of toys and electronic devices belonging to older children that might contain button batteries and attract a younger child.
• Don’t give a child a toy with a battery compartment they can easily open.
• Securely tighten the screws on all battery compartments.
• Never allow children to play with batteries.
• Never leave batteries sitting out unattended.
• Remind anyone who wears hearing aids in your family to keep the batteries out of reach of children. (Many people with hearing aids remove the batteries every night.)
• Remind babysitters and other caregivers not to leave battery-powered devices where children can get them.
• Store batteries where children can’t reach them.
• Supervise children if they are playing with battery-operated toys.

What Do I Do If My Child Swallows a Battery?

If you suspect your child has swallowed a button battery, call 911 immediately. Do not make your child throw up — the battery could do more damage on the way out.

What are button battery ingestion symptoms?

Button battery ingestion symptoms may include:

• Belly or chest pain.
• Bloody stool.
• Coughing, choking, and breathing problems.
• Diarrhea.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Drool.
• Fever.
• Nausea and/or vomiting.
• Refusal to eat or drink.
• Sudden onset of crying.
• Throat pain.

What are the immediate steps after swallowing a battery?

If your child swallowed a battery, take these steps:

• Call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately.
• If your child swallowed the battery within the past 12 hours, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving 2 teaspoons of honey. The honey provides a protective coating between the battery and sensitive tissue. But don’t delay going to the hospital to find honey or give honey to a child who’s allergic or under 12 months.
• Don’t make your child throw up. A medical professional should handle any removal, as the battery can still do damage as it leaves the body.
• Don’t let your child eat or drink anything (other than honey).
• Don’t give any medications to induce vomiting or bowel movements.
• Don’t use the Heimlich maneuver, or you could risk the battery getting stuck in another area.
• Tell the ER doctors and nurses you believe your child swallowed a battery. They will want to get an X-ray right away.

What Are Other Hazards of Button Batteries?

Children can be in danger of other hazards besides button battery ingestion. They can put batteries into their ears and noses. A battery stuck in an ear or nose can cause eardrum or nasal septum burns. The burns can lead to infections and even permanent breathing or hearing problems.

If you think your child has a battery stuck in their ear or nose, immediately take them to the emergency room.

Swallowing a battery can be very dangerous — for children and adults. Act quickly and contact emergency medical services right away.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on December 15, 2021, and was last reviewed on July 25, 2024.