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Button Battery Safety Tips

January 29, 2021

Button batteries, particularly big, powerful lithium coin batteries can badly injure or even kill a child if swallowed. Please see below our top tips for keeping children safe from button batteries.

  • Check your home - If you find things powered by button batteries where the battery compartment isn’t secured, move them out of reach of small children. If the item is faulty, get it fixed or get rid of it safely. You can also report faulty toys to your local Trading Standards. 
  • Teach older children the dangers - Tell older children why button batteries are dangerous, and why they shouldn’t play with them or give them to young children.
  • Store spare batteries securely - Store spare button batteries securely and out of children’s reach. Don’t leave them loose in drawers or on surfaces. Watch out when opening multi-packs of button batteries in case they fall on the floor.
  • Know which toys and gadgets use button batteries - This includes everyday toys and gadgets, such as robot bug or fish toys, fidget spinners with LED lights, slim remote controls, car key fobs, calculators, scales, gaming headsets, watches, hearing aids, nightlights and novelty items like singing Santas.
  • Get rid of dead button batteries immediately - Children often find discarded button batteries lying around or under sofa cushions. ‘Dead’ button batteries can still have enough power to badly hurt a small child. When you remove one, store it securely and recycle it properly promptly.

If you think your child has swallowed a battery, take them straight to the nearest A&E department or call 999 for an ambulance. Symptoms may not be obvious. Your child might be coughing, gagging or drooling, or pointing to their throat or tummy. Unclear symptoms mean it’s important to be vigilant.

Do:

  • take the battery packaging, toy or gadget – if you can – to help staff identify the battery
  • trust your instincts and act fast, even if there are no symptoms

Don’t:

  • let your child eat or drink
  • make your child sick

For further home accident prevention advice including the opportunity to sign up for a free home safety check, please contact the Home Safety Team on 028 9244 7300 or email home.safety@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk. For general product safety advice or information on battery products, please email ehealth@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk or contact the Consumer Protection Team on 028 9244 7300.  

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