Button Batteries: Damaging if Swallowed, Put in Ears or Nose

A child's curiosity can be dangerous. Each year, more than 3,000 button battery ingestions are reported in the US. Button batteries are the small round batteries found in small electronics, such as remote controls, toys, flameless candles, bathroom scales, and digital thermometers.

In this video, Kris R. Jatana, MD, FAAP, Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at The Ohio State University & Nationwide Children's Hospital, explains the signs and symptoms of button battery ingestion—including when one is lodged in the ear canal or nose.

If you ever suspect your child swallowed a button battery, go immediately to an emergency room. Serious damage can occur in as little as 2 hours.

Additional Information from HealthyChildren.org:

• Button Battery Injuries in Children: A Growing Risk

• Poison Prevention & Treatment Tips

• Childproofing Your Home

• When Your Child Needs Emergency Medical Services