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Button Batteries Hazards
Poison Control
These are used to
power hearing aids, watches, toys, games, flashing jewelry, singing greeting
cards, remote control devices, and many other items.
Call 800-498-8666 for
guidance if someone swallows a battery.
Most button
batteries pass through the body and are eliminated in the stool.
However, sometimes
batteries get "hung up", and these are the ones that cause problems.
A battery that is
stuck in the esophagus is especially likely to cause tissue damage.
An electrical
current can form around the outside of the battery, generating hydroxide (an
alkaline chemical) and causing a tissue burn.
When a battery is
swallowed, it is impossible to know whether it will pass through or get
"hung up".
If anyone ingests a
battery, this is what you should do:
1.
Immediately call the 24-hour National Battery Ingestion Hotline
at 800-498-8666.
2.
If readily available, provide the battery identification number,
found on the package or from a matching battery.
3.
In most cases, an x-ray must be obtained right away to be sure
that the battery has gone through the esophagus into the stomach. (If the
battery remains in the esophagus, it must be removed immediately.
Most batteries move
on to the stomach and can be allowed to pass by themselves.) Based on the
age of the patient and size of the battery, the National Battery Ingestion
Hotline specialists can help you determine if an immediate x-ray is required.
4.
Don't induce vomiting. Don't eat or drink until the x-ray
shows the battery is beyond the esophagus.
5.
Watch for fever, abdominal pain, vomiting, or blood in the
stools. Report these symptoms immediately.
6.
Check the stools until the battery has passed.
7.
Your physician or the emergency room may call the National
Button Battery Ingestion Hotline at 800-498-8666 for
consultation about button batteries. Expert advice is available 24 hours a day,
7 days a week.
Button batteries may
also cause permanent injury when they are placed in the nose or the ears.
Young children and
elderly people have been particularly involved in this kind of incident.
Symptoms to watch
for are pain and/or a discharge from the nose or ears.
DO NOT use nose or
ear drops until the person has been examined by a physician, as these fluids
can cause additional injury if a battery is involved.
Poison
Control
is available 24 hours a day to provide free, expert and confidential guidance
in a poison emergency. When you call, a poison specialist will ask you
questions to determine the severity of your case, then provide recommendations.
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