As parents, we do what we can to keep the home safe for our children. The sad reality of it is, however, there are many dangers that exist in the home and some of them can be deadly.
This can be seen in many ways but according to some new research from Duracell and First-Aid for Life, there is something specific that must be done to keep things safer for your children.
According to the New York Post, 2000 participants were surveyed and there were some serious questions as to what to do about a child who swallows a battery. Two out of every three adults said they didn’t know what to do and one-quarter of those adults said that they found their children playing with batteries at home.
In addition, more than 50% said that batteries are just casually left out and their children have easy access to them.
What many parents don’t realize is how dangerous swallowing batteries can be. Even small batteries, such as button batteries that are easy to swallow could cause chemical reactions in under two hours that could threaten the life of your child.
Some of the issues that result from swallowing a battery occur when saliva reacts with the energy in the battery, causing the creation of caustic soda and leading to internal bleeding.
Emma Hammett from First-Aid for Life recommends the following: “Taking 10 minutes to check there are no button batteries loose around your home is a simple step to take to make your home safer. Ensure you have located all the devices within your home that contain button batteries and check they are secure, as well as keeping batteries safely out of sight and reach and recycling used ones appropriately.”
She then ends with a recommendation that if you suspect a battery has been swallowed, get your child to an emergency room without delay.