EMERGENCY RESPONSE
If you think a child swallowed a button battery, do this now.
Severe damage can happen in two hours. Do not wait for symptoms.
Do this immediatly
If you think a child has ingested a button battery, follow these five steps. Do not wait for symptoms.
1.Give honey, if the child is over one year old
Give 2 teaspoons of honey every 10 minutes, up to 6 doses, only if the child is over one year old and able to swallow. Guidance from the National Capital Poison Center and U.S. Poison Control indicates honey may help slow tissue damage on the way to the hospital. Do NOT give honey to a child under one year old.
2.Go to the right hospital
Go immediately to a hospital emergency department that has BOTH an operating room and X-ray capability. The battery needs to be located and removed urgently. Standalone ER and urgent care facilities are not equipped for this procedure.
3.Do NOT go to a standalone ER or urgent care
If the nearest facility is a standalone ER or urgent care, drive past it to a full-service hospital. The minutes spent at a facility that cannot do the procedure are minutes that work against the child.
4.Tell medical staff you suspect a button battery
As soon as you arrive, tell every medical staff member you encounter: "I suspect a button battery ingestion. We need an X-ray immediately." This shortens the path to diagnosis and treatment.
5.No water, no vomiting, nothing by mouth except honey
Do NOT give water. Do NOT induce vomiting. Do NOT give food or any other liquid. The only exception is honey, given per the guidelines in Step 1.
Symptoms to watch for
Symptoms can be missed. They can look like a common cold or a stomach bug. Do not wait for them. If you suspect ingestion, go to the hospital regardless of how the child appears.
Coughing, choking, or gagging
most common immediate signal
Drooling
excessive saliva, especially without other illness signs
Vomiting
particularly vomiting that does not match a known stomach virus
Chest discomfort
fussiness when laying down, pulling at the chest
Difficulty swallowing
refusing solid food, struggling with familiar foods
Refusing food or spitting food out
sudden change in eating behavior
Fever
particularly without other illness signs
Unexplained irritability or fussiness
out of character for the child
If any of these are present and you cannot rule out battery exposure, call the hotline above immediately.
Where button batteries hide in your home
Button batteries are small, shiny, and powerful. They sit inside everyday household items. Most parents are surprised by where they show up. Here are twelve common sources to check today.
Watches
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Car remotes
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Calculators
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Fake candles
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Hearing aids
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Thermometers
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Kitchen scales
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Remote controls
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Key ring flashlights
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Key & remote finders
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Light-up sneakers & clothes
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Musical cards & novelty items
Most child and adult watches, especially small dress watches
Audit your home today
A home audit takes fifteen minutes. Walk through every room with this checklist. Check off each item as you confirm it.
- I have checked my home for button batteries and the items that use them.
- I have confirmed that every battery compartment in our home is tightly secured.
- I store loose button batteries and the items that use them out of reach of young children.
- I keep hearing aids and batteries separate from any medications.
- I dispose of dead batteries immediately and safely. Dead batteries can still hurt a child.
- I check novelty items and toys, including flashing jewelry and clothes, for button batteries before giving them to my child.
- I have saved 1-800-498-8666 (the National Battery Ingestion Hotline) in my phone.
Save this page so you can check the boxes from your phone next time you do a home audit.
Four ways to prevent ingestion
Look
Walk every room and identify every button battery item. You cannot prevent what you do not know is there.
Keep out of reach and out of sight
Store loose batteries and battery items above adult shoulder height. Out of reach is not enough; out of sight is what matters for a curious toddler.
Secure the storage box
Use a sealed container with a tool-required latch or a high lock. A drawer is not a storage box.
Dispose immediately and safely
Wrap dead batteries in tape and bring them to a household hazardous waste facility or a participating retailer. A dead battery in a junk drawer is still a hazard.
Why Reese's Purpose
Reese Elizabeth Hamsmith was eighteen months old when she died from injuries caused by a button battery she swallowed. Her family built Reese's Purpose so other families would not have to learn this the hard way. We pushed for the federal law that requires manufacturers to secure battery compartments. We worked with industry to develop a safer battery. We publish a free monthly recall digest. We are still pushing on every gap that remains.
If this page helped you, please consider giving in Reese's memory. Your gift keeps this guide free and helps us reach the parents who do not know yet.
Takethis with you
The full Button Battery Safety guide is available as a one-page printable PDF. Download it, post it on your fridge, share it with your child's daycare or babysitter, and bring it to every new-parent or new-grandparent in your life.
Suspect button battery ingestion?
Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline: 1-800-498-8666 (24/7)
