Giving a toy without a battery is quite frustrating for children. To operate small appliances on Christmas Day, these batteries are essential. But they represent a danger for little ones. Here are the recommendations of the High Authority of Health to prevent risks.
Are you planning to put some toys under the tree this year? Bring suitable batteries to avoid frustration when opening gifts. Indeed, batteries are not always provided, and the first thing that children look forward to once the gift is unwrapped is to see their new toy working. But some batteries are not without risk! Last year, the High Authority of Health (HAS) had already alerted parents to the dangers of button batteries. And for good reason: due to their small size, children risk swallowing them. They are mainly found in thermometers, watches, remote controls, calculators, cameras, but also in connected toys.
The health authority particularly emphasizes the importance of a rapid reaction to limit the risks linked to esophageal burns. “You should not waste time over the ingestion of a button battery, whether the ingestion is proven or simply assumed.“, insists the High Authority of Health. In the event of ingestion of a button battery, even a supposed one, the HAS advises leaving the child fasting without trying to make him vomit and calling 15 or a poison control center. Your contacts will tell you what to do and guide you to the hospital or medical center that can most effectively treat this pediatric emergency.
The STC and the HAS also emphasize that a chest x-ray is the reference examination to confirm the ingestion of a battery and to determine its location. They add that a “upper digestive endoscopy must then be carried out without delay since the risk of serious complications, that is to say severe esophageal burn, is increased beyond 2 hours“. If the battery is in the stomach, the treatment must be adapted to each situation, and a digestive endoscopy is sometimes necessary.
In addition to the risk of asphyxiation, ingesting a button battery can cause irreversible damage, as underlined by Dr Suzanne Tartière, emergency doctor at Samu de Paris and author of the book Little gestures that save (Ed. Bayard) . “Ingestion of a lithium button battery can cause very serious complications in a very short time (less than 2 hours) such as: burns, esophageal perforations, hemorrhage from the digestive tract (esophagus, stomach, intestines), or even perforation of the respiratory tract which can lead to the death of the child. If in doubt, do not hesitate for a second to contact the SAMU” she specifies.
The DGCCRF, the DGS and ANSES remind parents of certain reflexes to avoid risks in the event of ingestion:
Check toy safety, but also that of everyday objects, not intended for children and not subject to strict regulatory obligations, such as watches, car keys, remote controls, calculators or hearing aids. Toys”are subject to strict requirements, including non-accessibility of batteries, imposed by European legislation” reminds the authorities, that is to say that the battery compartment must not be able to be opened by a child, nor open or break if the object falls.
Choose electronic devices with a secure battery compartment : closed by a screw or those which require two independent maneuvers to open them. Finally, keep button batteries out of the reach of a child, both new and used.