Gransnet forums

Health

BUTTON BATTERY SWALLOWING DANGER ALERT

(18 Posts)
StarDreamer Sun 19-Jun-22 08:36:10

I have just seen this article.

news.sky.com/story/he-couldve-died-mum-speaks-out-after-her-son-joins-rising-number-of-children-needing-surgery-after-swallowing-button-batteries-12636535

MawtheMerrier Sun 19-Jun-22 08:46:36

I think we have had warnings about this for several years, but a reminder is always worth bringing to people’s attention

Chestnut Sun 19-Jun-22 09:48:35

Also those little silver magnetic balls. They are just as bad if not worse. They stick together inside the child and need removing. They should be banned altogether.

Luckygirl3 Sun 19-Jun-22 09:57:45

My DGS finished up in A&E when he was at crawling stage as he found his way into a drawer in which there were button batteries, when DD's back was turned for a moment. She did not know if he had swallowed one but played safe - luckily an x-ray showed all well.

Chewbacca Sun 19-Jun-22 10:07:34

A friend's new puppy was at "the chewing and eating everything" stage. It took her daughter's little wristwatch and ate it; there was a button battery inside. Puppy was lucky to survive the operation to remove it from it's stomach and the vet bills were huge.

Whiff Sun 19-Jun-22 10:24:42

There has been a warning about button batteries for years. That's why they changed the packaging and making then harder to get out of the packet plus there is a warning sticker on the battery to keep away from children.

Caleo Sun 19-Jun-22 10:26:19

Star Dreamer, a worth while warning. Many people still don't know these tiny batteries are dangerous . There needs to be a national info campaign.

Chewbacca Sun 19-Jun-22 10:28:41

The warning stickers on packaging don't help much when the battery is already inserted into the back of the gadget and the child can access it without too much difficulty.

Caleo Sun 19-Jun-22 10:29:45

It's not so much the packaging but waht people do when changing the batteries. They can be easily dropped and then they roll away out of sight of responsible adult.

I always change hearing aid batteries over an open box that will contain it if I drop it.

Chestnut Sun 19-Jun-22 10:38:12

I have a small plastic box in which I put any used batteries. When it's full they can then be disposed of at a collection point, usually a supermarket.

StarDreamer Sun 19-Jun-22 10:39:59

Chewbacca

A friend's new puppy was at "the chewing and eating everything" stage. It took her daughter's little wristwatch and ate it; there was a button battery inside. Puppy was lucky to survive the operation to remove it from it's stomach and the vet bills were huge.

Including the VAT, which, in response to a petition in around 2008 or so, could not be changed because of a treaty which came into effect in 1973.

But we are not in the EU now, ...

But that is for another thread!

MawtheMerrier Sun 19-Jun-22 10:41:47

Indeed it is.
Why would one not pay VAT on vets bills any more or less than decorators, mechanics, any service provider?
Straw man argument.

H1954 Sun 19-Jun-22 10:43:00

Another favourite for children to eat, ingest or swallow is those in-wash scent things.......Unstoppables I think they're called. They look just like sweets.

StarDreamer Sun 19-Jun-22 10:44:26

Chestnut

Also those little silver magnetic balls. They are just as bad if not worse. They stick together inside the child and need removing. They should be banned altogether.

I saw something about that some time ago. A child had swllowed several at different times and they had all met up and formed a clump in the child's sigmoid colon, and major surgery had taken place to remove them.

StarDreamer Sun 19-Jun-22 10:46:32

MawtheMerrier

Indeed it is.
Why would one not pay VAT on vets bills any more or less than decorators, mechanics, any service provider?
Straw man argument.

Because it is medical care and prescriptions.

StarDreamer Sun 19-Jun-22 11:18:50

Sorry, my mistake, I should have not gone so way off-topic by having a rant making a comment about VAT.

Chewbacca Sun 19-Jun-22 11:56:36

Because it is medical care and prescriptions.

Rant away StarDreamer; I totally agree with you.

Elizabeth27 Sun 19-Jun-22 12:26:32

I also agree with StarDreamer. If you said 2+2=4 some members will disagree just because it is you.