SAFETY ALERT: Button/Coin Battery Ingestion Incident
A serious incident has occurred in one of our schools involving the ingestion of a coin/button battery by a child. The battery had been removed from a small LED toy.
The child became unwell during the school day; however, the symptoms initially presented only as feeling sick and a stomach-ache, with no indication of the actual cause. The child was collected early by a parent due to illness.
Later that day, the child’s condition deteriorated rapidly at home, at which point they disclosed that they had swallowed a battery. They were taken to hospital and required an emergency operation to remove the battery.
The child has remained in hospital for the past 11 days following the incident and continues to receive treatment.
Key Learning
Coin/button batteries can cause severe internal burns within hours if swallowed. Early symptoms may be non‑specific, such as nausea, abdominal pain, drooling or coughing, making it difficult to recognise the hazard immediately.
Awareness: Symptoms of Battery Ingestion
Be aware that symptoms may be vague and not immediately indicative of ingestion. These can include:
- Nausea or vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Coughing
- Drooling or difficulty swallowing
- General unwellness
If ingestion is suspected: seek emergency medical assistance immediately.