Beware of "Button Batteries" - Products Liability — Florida Injury Attorney Blawg

Beware!!! These small, coin-sized batteries found in many home appliances and childrens’ toys can be hazardous and deadly. If swallowed, the consequences can be immediate and devastating.

Occassionally, a swallowed battery will pass through the intestine. More often, the batteries become lodged in the throat or intestine and can release hydroxide, resulting in chemical burns.

Incidents most often occur in children younger than four years old. Parents often are unaware that a child has swallowed the button battery, making diagnosis difficult. Symptoms include an upset stomach and fever. Sometimes there are no symptoms at all.

Manufacturers are being encouraged to develop warnings and industry standards to address the issue.

Experts make the following recommendations to prevent unintentional battery ingestion:

Discard button batteries carefully.
Do not allow children to play with button batteries, and keep button batteries out of your child’s reach.
Caution others to keep button batteries away from children.
Never put button batteries in your mouth for any reason.
Keep remotes and other devices that use button batteries out of the reach of young children. Use tape to secure the compartment.

The National Battery Ingestion Hotline is available anytime at (202) 625-3333 or call your poison center at (800) 222-1222.

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Jeffrey P. Gale, P.A. is a South Florida based law firm committed to the judicial system and to representing and obtaining justice for individuals – the poor, the injured, the forgotten, the voiceless, the defenseless and the damned, and to protecting the rights of such people from corporate and government oppression. We do not represent government, corporations or large business interests.