The American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery is urging battery manufacturers to create safer button batteries.
According to Dr. James C. Denneny, the Academy’s CEO, many children have suffered serious injuries, illnesses, and even deaths because of these batteries. He stressed that manufacturers need to take responsibility to minimize these dangers.
Button batteries can be extremely dangerous to children if they get stuck in their bodies. In a recent statement, the Academy and several medical organizations called for urgent action to introduce safer button or coin cell batteries to help prevent life-threatening injuries in children.
Although these batteries are commonly used in small devices like toys, remote controls, and holiday decorations, no manufacturer has produced a safe version or promised to do so. When swallowed or placed against moist tissues, these batteries can produce harmful hydroxide that severely damages the esophagus, ear, or nose, leading to serious burns or even perforation.
With the holiday season approaching and more devices that use button batteries being brought into homes, the risk to children increases. Dr. Denneny noted, “Many children have already been harmed, and others are still at risk. Battery manufacturers must take action to protect children from these serious injuries and fatalities.”
Statistics show a significant rise in button battery-related incidents in recent years, with a child under 18 visiting an emergency department for such an incident every 75 minutes in the U.S. The rate of these incidents has doubled in the last decade.
Dr. Kris Jatana, a member of the Academy and Surgical Director at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, emphasized, “Immediate action is crucial, as severe injuries can happen within just two hours of a battery being lodged in the body.”
To support this initiative, 12 medical organizations, including the American College of Surgeons, have backed the Academy’s call for safer button and coin battery technology.
