AT least two children die every year in the UK as a result of swallowing a battery, according to the NHS.
And surgeons at Great Ormond Street Hospital say they are now seeing one child a month with corrosive burns caused by button batteries.
The team demonstrate how effective honey can be at preventing long term damage Credit: Tiny Hearts Education
Pictured is a battery lodged in a child’s food pipe Credit: Tiny Hearts Education
Most button batteries pass through the body without a problem.
But if a coin cell battery, used to power various devices in the home, gets stuck in the food pipe, energy from the battery reacts with saliva to create caustic soda – the same chemical used to unblock drains!
This can burn through the food pipe, to the main artery and lead to catastrophic internal bleeding and death.
The dangerous chemical reaction can happen in as little as two hours.
First aiders from Tiny Hearts Education Instagram have shared a tip which could help slow down the chemical burn and reduce potential damage.
“The research shows honey can make a significant difference on the damage caused, it can buy time to get a child into surgery and minimise the long-term harm,” the first aiders explained in a video.
If you suspect your child has swallowed a battery, the experts suggest giving them 10ml of honey every 10 minutes.
Using honey as first aid is already recommended in treatment guidelines in some countries, including the US.
In the video, the team demonstrate how effective honey can be at preventing long term damage.
They do this by placing two batteries on two separate pieces of ham – which are meant to represent human flesh.
They covered one piece of ham and battery with honey every 10 minutes – while doing nothing to the second battery.
After some time, the piece of ham which hasn’t been does with honey is left with a burn under where the batter is placed.
While the piece of ham which was covered in honey looks far less damaged.
Signs your child has swallowed a battery
The tricky thing is that it’s not always obvious when a child has swallowed a battery.
It’s also hard to know what they’ve done if you’re not around.
It could be that a product has dropped on the floor and the batteries have fallen out, or spare ones are left in an easy-to-reach drawer.
There’s only one thing specific to button battery ingestion and that’s vomitting fresh, bright red blood, According to the Child Accident Prevention Trust.
If your child does that you absolutely have to get them immediate medical help.
Other symptoms can include:
1. Suddenly developing cough, gag or drool a lot
2. Appearing to have a stomach upset or a virus
3. Being sick
4. Pointing to their throat or tummy
5. Having a pain in their tummy, chest or throat
6. Being tired or lethargic
7. Being quieter or more clingy than usual or otherwise ‘not themselves’
8. Losing their appetite or have a reduced appetite
9. Not wanting to eat solid food/unable to eat solid food
What to do if your child has swallowed a button battery
1. Go straight to A&E
2. Tell a doctor
3. Take the battery packaging or product with you
4. Don’t let them eat or drink
5. Don’t make them sick
Source: capt.org.uk