Button cell batteries are the small round batteries. They are often used in toys and therein lies a danger. Last week, three children ended up in the operating room at Erasmus MC who had swallowed a button cell battery.
The hospital therefore warns:keep button cell batteries out of the reach of children. After swallowing the battery, the acid is released into the body. This affects the tissue of the esophagus, with all its consequences. It can cause disability and two children died between 2008 and 2016.
A child usually does not report to the parents that he or she has swallowed a battery. The first signal is to stop eating. Major damage is often done within two hours. It is therefore very important to be alert and to contact your doctor/emergency emergency department immediately if you suspect a swallowed battery.
