Mum raises awareness of button battery danger to young children
Joanna Lovell
Senior Social & Newsletter WriterA heartbroken mum is urging parents to be aware of the dangers of button batteries after her own two year old tragically lost her life having swallowed one.
Parents are being urged to be aware of the household items which have button batteries inside – after a two-year-old girl died after swallowing the battery from inside a TV remote control.
Harper-Lee Fanthorpe died in hospital in May after swallowing the button battery after the acid seared through her throat and through a major artery.
The little girl was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after she started vomiting blood, but tragically died during the operation.
Her devastated mother Stacey Nicklin told an inquest into the toddler’s death that she didn’t realise the items could be so dangerous and urged other parents to be on their guard.
She only realised what had happened after later finding a remote control with a missing button battery in her daughter's bedroom.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast yesterday, she said she now wants to raise awareness.
Stacey said:
'These five weeks have been absolute torture. And all through a button battery that we didn’t know the dangers of. It’s about awareness.
'Parents need to check. Check, check, check. They’re in everything.'
Harper-Lee is sadly not the first child to suffer serious injury after swallowing a battery in the UK.
However, in a bid to raise more awareness to the danger, The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) has compiled a list of household items which use button batteries in the hope of preventing further deaths.
Common items that use button batteries include:
1. Fitness tracker
2. Remote control
3. 3D glasses
4. Robot bug toy
5. Gaming headset
6. Car key
7. Key finder
8. Kitchen scales
9. Light up fidget spinner
10. Bathroom scales
11. Thermometer
12. Flat battery
13. Robo fish
14. Musical greeting card
15. Light-up yo-yo
16. Tea light
17. Light saber
18. Flashing wand
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A spokesperson for the CAPT said:
'Many parents are still unaware of the risks posed by big, powerful lithium coin cell batteries or where small children can find them in their homes.
'Our Button battery hub is packed with simple, practical advice.
'It’s easy to share and can help prevent other families suffering such a terrible tragedy.
'Know where button batteries are in your home, so you can keep your children safe.
'Our poster suggests where to look and what to look for.
'Button batteries are used in an increasingly wide range of toys, novelty items, gadgets and other everyday objects you’ll find around the house.
'While some battery compartments are secured, many batteries are easy for children to get to.'
Following Harper-Lee's death, there have been many warnings for parents.
Birmingham Children's Hospital says:
'Button batteries can be found in so many items around the home but, as we’ve seen so tragically in the news today, they can be deadly if swallowed by children exploring the world.
'Take a few minutes to read our advice in this thread and check your home is safe ASAP.
'It's really important to keep all batteries out of the sight and reach of children and keep them in their packaging until you need to use them.
'Take a few minutes at your first opportunity to check around your home.
'Tape down battery compartments or, at the very least, keep such items with batteries well out of the sight and reach of children. 'Ensure that all toys you buy meet safety regulations as unregulated toys are more likely to contain dangerous batteries.
'Dispose of old batteries safely straight away as they can still cause harm.
'Do not keep them at home thinking you will get rid of them in future. Batteries should be disposed of in special containers you can find in your local area ,such as in supermarkets.
'For further information and advice from our experts on the 10 things you can do in just 10 minutes to make your home safer for children please visit our website.
'Teach older children that batteries are dangerous and not to play with them or allow others too.
'If you think your child has swallowed a button battery take them to A&E straight away or call 999 for an ambulance. Don’t let them eat or drink and don’t make them sick.'
Which? also shared a hard-hitting video which shows what happens to a child's body when a battery is swallowed.
What should I do if my child swallows a button battery?
If you think your child may have swallowed a button battery, seek medical advice immediately.
Remember that the saliva in their body will react with the battery and so time is very much of the essence.
Has your child ever swallowed anything they shouldn't? Let other parents know what to be aware of, in the chat thread below.
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