Child safety warning about dangers of button batteries

Parents, grandparents and carers in Tameside and Glossop are advised, especially over the Christmas holidays, to play close attention to babies and toddlers who are at risk as they explore the world by putting things in their mouths.

The warning comes from Tameside and Glossop Clinical Commissioning Group. 

They say button batteries, especially big, powerful lithium coin cell batteries, can badly injure or kill a child if they are swallowed and get stuck in the food pipe.

These types of batteries can be found around the home particularly in gaming headsets, musical cards and light-up toys. 

Advice given is to keep spare and ‘dead’ lithium coin cell batteries and any objects with easily accessible lithium coin cell batteries out of children’s reach, and to act fast if you think your child may have swallowed one.

The batteries should be covered by toy safety regulations. The most common ones are 20mm diameter known as CR 2016, 2025 or 2032; but 16 and 23mm diameter batteries also exist.

People are also being urged to remember toys bought online or from markets, discount stores or temporary shops may not follow safety regulations.

Councillor Eleanor Wills, Executive Member for Adult Social Care and Population Health, said: "As a mother of three young children I understand how difficult it can be to keep watch over your children to ensure that they don’t put things in their mouth that can harm them.

"Although the warning maybe an obvious to some it’s still extremely important to re-emphasise the dangers around button batteries used in our children’s gadgets and toys."

For more information, visit the British and Irish Portable Battery Association at https://www.capt.org.uk/button-batteries.