The story of Kai 18 months, could have tragically stopped if his mother had not insisted for a radio. Last June Madeline Dunn, an American of 26 years indeed experienced the worst nightmare of a parent: one of her twins started to scream in pain without apparent reason. Transported to the hospital, the first diagnoses evoke a simple gastroenteritis.
A baby in distress … because of a button battery
According to her testimony, the young woman cannot take an idea of the head: what if he had swallowed something dangerous? She insists on being made a radiography. A decision that will save Kai’s life.
The scanner results are final: a button battery is housed in the little boy’s esophagus, already blackened by an internal burn. He is immediately transferred to emergency surgery for the extraction of this potentially fatal foreign body.
“The doctors told me that I had saved my baby’s life thanks to my insistence”, entrusts Madeline to the Mirror.
An often underestimated danger
Madeline assures her: she had no idea where the battery came from, but noticed on her return to her home that all the toys of her children had it. The button batteries, present in many toys, remote controls, watches, scales or everyday objects, can go unnoticed … until an accident occurs. Because once ingested, a battery can get stuck in the esophagus of a child and cause a chemical burn in just a few hours.
These batteries release very alkaline ions which destroy internal tissues, sometimes irreversibly. And the severity of the lesions increases beyond 2 hours after ingestion.
According to the High Authority for Health (HAS), the danger is even greater if the battery measures more than 15 mm in diameter or if the child is under 5 years old.
What to do in case of ingestion of the button battery? (Or doubt about it)
Faced with this risk, every minute counts. Here are the gestures to adopt immediately in the event of suspicion:
- Contact 15 (SAMU) or an anti -poison center without delay;
- Do not give food or drink to the child;
- Do not try to vomit it;
- Keep the packaging or the object containing the battery, this can help the doctor.
- Go immediately to the emergency room, even in the absence of obvious symptoms.
The reference examination is a thoracic radiography, allowing to locate the battery. If it is stuck in the esophagus, an endoscopy should be practiced without delay. If the battery has reached the stomach, the situation is assessed on a case -by -case basis. In all cases, rapid and multidisciplinary management (emergency artist, surgeon, anesthesiologist) is essential.
Prevent rather than cure: essential advice
To avoid such tragedies, here are some simple but vital recommendations:
- Store the piles out of the reach of children;
- Check the safety of battery compartments on toys, remote controls, scales, etc.;
- Never leave you dragging used on a table, a drawer or a piece of furniture;
- Prefer certified toys, with inviolable screw compartments;
- Explain to the children, even very young, that the batteries are not toys.
To avoid drama the health authorities and manufacturers are also gradually mobilizing. Since 2017, Duracell has reinforced its packaging: double inviolable shell, alert stickers on batteries, visible warnings. In 2023, the brand also expanded its prevention campaign to healthcare professionals and early childhood structures.
But these measures are not enough: parents remain the first ramparts in the face of this silent danger.