I know, I know, it could be any kind of metallic disk that is obviously not where it is supposed to be. but today is National Battery Day. Woo hoo...can you say excitement? Okay, I don't know that my sarcasm is necessary today. Let's face it, in 2014, who can get by without their battery driven cellular phone? Or laptop, or watch, or any number of other items.
Having said that, I am going to use today to highlight a major issue, battery ingestion by youngsters.
Disk batteries contain mercury, silver, zinc, manganese, cadmium, lithium, sulfur oxide, copper, brass, or steel. They also contain sodium or potassium hydroxide and range in size from about 8 to 20 mm, i.e. pretty and easy to swallow if you are in the everything goes in my mouth stage.
Unfortunately, when junior decides to swallow a battery the sodium hydroxide that is created as a byproduct of energy creation can cause tissue necrosis in the esophagus. This then leads to perforation - sometimes in as little as six hours.
Even after ingestion and removal, there can be ongoing tissue damage due to residual chemicals. For those fire guys interested in hazardous materials, these are caustic materials. For everyone reading, remember caustics eat tissue, corrosives etch metal.
Again, do not get me wrong. I need batteries as much as the next guy, but today being National Battery Day seemed as good a day as any to talk about accidental ingestion by our little folks. Keep them and you safe and have a great day.
PS If you find yourself on the scene of a battery ingestion, like poison control, the National Battery Ingestion Hotline might prove useful. They can be reached at (202) 625-3333.
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