OKLAHOMA TODDLER DIES AFTER INGESTING BUTTON BATTERY

·       An Oklahoma 2 year old died after ingesting button batteries, or lithium batteries

o   Died six days after swallowing one of the batteries, which are small, silver, and shaped like a button

·       Commonly used in children's toys, musical greeting cards, hearing aids, as well as remote controls, calculators and wristwatches.

·       According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), older adults who may mistake the batteries as pills, and children under age 4 within reach of items that commonly use the batteries, are at the highest risk of swallowing them.

Why the battery is toxic

·       While some batteries pass through the body without causing harm, others can be life-threatening when they get stuck in the esophagus and expose the body to an alkaline substance

·       A battery that is stuck in the esophagus is especially likely to cause tissue damage.

·       An electrical current can form around the outside of the battery, generating hydroxide (an alkaline chemical) and causing a tissue burn.

·       When a battery is swallowed, it is impossible to know whether it will pass through or get stuck

·       The CPSC warns that a child can suffer chemical burns within as few as two hours of ingesting lithium batteries.

What parents can look for to tell if their child swallowed one

·       According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), people who have swallowed one may have:

o   Abdominal and chest pain

o   Nausea

o   Possibly bloody vomit

o   May also be asymptomatic

Other dangers

·       Purses: Pen caps, coins can be dangerous. Can be dangerous if ingested.

·       Hair: it can get wrapped around little baby fingers and toes.

·       Small toys: any toy that is smaller than 1-3/4 inches should be considered a choking hazard for toddlers.

·       Detergent pods: contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful if ingested.