Swallowing 'Button' Batteries a Growing Danger for Children

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - Manufacturers and health care workers need to take steps to help curb a significant increase in the ingestion – particularly among children -- of both button and cylindrical batteries, according to new research.

Two studies, which appear online in the medical journal Pediatrics , found a nearly seven-fold increase in the percentage of button battery ingestions between 1985 and 2009, reports WebMD .

The research says the rise is directly related to the widespread use of lithium cell batteries found in household products such as television remote controls, flashlights, hearing aids, cameras, and children's toys.

Children may ingest lithium cell batteries they mistake for candy; elderly adults may mistake the batteries for medication, according to the research.

The study cited 13 deaths related to button batteries getting lodged in the airway or esophagus.

The research also found there is only a 2-hour window to get the batteries out when lodged in the esophagus, which is less time than previously reported. Delayed removal can result in serious injuries such as tissue tears, burning, and internal bleeding .

The research also found that about 3,500 cases of button cell battery ingestion are reported annually to poison control centers. Adding to the danger is the development of larger, stronger lithium cell batteries, which increases the risk of severe complications, reports The New York Times .

The batteries can trigger chemical reactions that can damage vocal cords. They can also harm the gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to some children needing to use feeding tubes, reports The Times.

"The injuries are so much more serious," Dr. Toby Litovitz, director and lead author of both articles in Pediatrics, says in The Times. "It's like drain opener or lye. It's not something you want in the esophagus of your child."

The researchers want manufacturers to create child-resistant battery compartments on everyday household products, as well as warning labels. They also say health care workers need to be made more aware of the problem and how to properly respond.