Button batteries, coins and grapes: small things, big dangers
Where button batteries hide at home, why they are so dangerous if swallowed and what to do at once, plus the everyday objects and foods that are choking hazards for babies.
By PreggieLover 4 min read
Somewhere in your home right now, there is probably a button battery. It might be in the television remote, the car key, the kitchen scales, a digital thermometer, a flashing toy or a musical birthday card. To you, it is a tiny silver disc. To a baby, it is shiny, interesting and exactly the right size to put in their mouth. It is one of the most dangerous small objects in any home.
Why button batteries are so dangerous
If a baby swallows a button battery, it can get stuck in the food pipe. There, it reacts with saliva and can burn through tissue very quickly, sometimes within a couple of hours. This can cause serious internal injuries and can be fatal. Even "flat" batteries can still hold enough charge to do harm. Batteries pushed into the nose or ears can also cause burns.
Where they hide
- Remote controls and car key fobs
- Kitchen and bathroom scales
- Thermometers, hearing aids and calculators
- Watches and fitness trackers
- Light-up toys, shoes and novelty items
- Musical greeting cards
- LED tea lights and small torches
Keeping them out of reach
- Choose products where the battery compartment is secured with a screw.
- Check the compartment on everything you own. If it is loose or broken, tape it securely shut or put the item out of reach.
- Store spare batteries in their packaging, high up or locked away.
- Dispose of used batteries straight away and safely, out of reach. Covering both sides with tape helps.
- Watch out for battery-powered items in other homes and in older siblings' rooms.
What to do if you think a battery has been swallowed
Go to the hospital emergency department immediately, or call your local emergency number (999 in the UK, 112 in Nigeria). Do not wait for symptoms. Your baby may seem fine at first. Do not try to make them sick, and do not give them anything to eat or drink. If you can, take the battery packaging or the device with you.
Signs that might suggest a battery has been swallowed include coughing, gagging, drooling, vomiting, noisy breathing, refusing food, pain, or blood in vomit or poo. But a missing battery and a baby nearby is reason enough to act.
Magnets need the same care
Small, powerful magnets from toys, fridge decorations and gadgets are also dangerous. If a baby swallows more than one, they can pull together through the walls of the gut and cause serious damage. Treat swallowed magnets as an emergency too.
Other small things to keep away
- Coins, buttons, beads, marbles and jewellery, including earrings and hair clips
- Bottle tops, pen lids and small lids from containers
- Older siblings' toys with small parts, such as building bricks and doll accessories
- Balloons and pieces of burst balloon
- Pills and tablets, including ones dropped on the floor
- Nappy sacks, cling film and plastic bags, which can suffocate
A simple test: anything that fits through a toilet roll tube is small enough to choke a baby or toddler.
Foods that are choking hazards
- Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes and similar round foods: cut them lengthways into quarters.
- Whole nuts and groundnuts: not for children under five. Smooth nut butters are fine once introduced.
- Popcorn, hard sweets, chewing gum and marshmallows
- Hard raw vegetables and fruit chunks: cook, grate or cut into soft strips.
- Sausages and hot dogs: remove the skin and cut lengthways.
- Fish and meat with bones: check carefully.
- Hard, crunchy snacks such as chin chin and nuts in coatings
Always seat your baby upright to eat and stay with them throughout.
If your baby is choking
If your baby is coughing hard, encourage them to keep coughing. If they cannot cry, cough or breathe, give up to five back blows, then up to five chest thrusts, and call your local emergency number if the object does not come out. A baby first aid course will teach you these steps properly. It is well worth a morning of your time.
Prayer and a watch
When Nehemiah and his people were rebuilding Jerusalem's walls, he wrote: "Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them" (Nehemiah 4:9). They prayed, and they kept watch. That is a good pattern for a parent. Pray for your baby's safety, and take that walk around your home looking for batteries and coins. Both are acts of love.
A prayer for watchful eyes
Lord, give me eyes to see the small dangers in our home and the wisdom to deal with them. Guard my baby when I am looking elsewhere. Help me to keep watch without living in fear, trusting that you watch over us both. Amen.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do if my baby swallows a button battery?
Go to the hospital emergency department immediately or call your local emergency number, even if your baby seems fine. Do not make them sick and do not give them food or drink.
Which household items contain button batteries?
Common ones include remote controls, car key fobs, kitchen scales, thermometers, watches, light-up toys, musical greeting cards and LED tea lights.
How can I tell if something is a choking hazard?
If an object fits through a toilet roll tube, it is small enough to choke a baby or toddler. Keep it out of reach.
This article is for general information and encouragement, not medical advice. Please talk to your doctor or midwife about your own health and your baby's.
