Learn Simple Steps to Prevent Serious Injuries to Children at the #BatteryControlled Twitter Party

Remote controls, bathroom scales, calculators, thermometers, car key fobs … how are these alike? Aside from being very common household items, each can contain coin-sized batteries. What many parents may not realize is that coin-sized batteries pose a very real and very serious risk to young children. When a coin lithium button battery gets stuck in a child’s throat, the saliva triggers an electrical current. This causes a chemical reaction that can severely burn the esophagus in as little as two hours.

Every year, approximately 3,500 incidents of button batteries being swallowed are reported to poison control centers in the U.S.  In 2012, 17 severe injuries and even two deaths were reported.

As part of Baby Safety Month, The Motherhood is honored to be partnering with The Battery Controlled, an effort from Energizer and Safe Kids Worldwide, to share life-saving information with parents and caregivers about the potential risks of swallowing coin lithium batteries. The program shines a light on a growing issue and provides simple steps that parents and caregivers can take to prevent injuries to children.

Join Us for a #BatteryControlled Twitter Party 

What: As electronic devices get smaller, so do the batteries. But many don’t realize the hazard that button batteries present to small children. Learn more about this issue and simple ways to prevent serious injuries to children.

When: Tuesday, September 24, at 12 pm ET (9 am PT)

Where: Join the chat on Twitter by following the #BatteryControlled hashtag. See the Twtvite for more details and to RSVP.

4 S’s of Battery Safety

To prevent injuries related to coin-sized battery ingestion, remember the 4 S’s of battery safety:

• STORE devices that use coin lithium batteries out of reach of children.
• SELECT battery packaging that complies with the child-resistant packaging standards and recommendations made by the staff at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, such as Energizer coin lithium battery packaging.
• SECURE the battery compartments of devices and look for devices that contain a child safety feature for their battery doors, such as a screw or child-resistant mechanism.
• SHARE this information with your friends and family. A recent survey revealed that 62 percent of parents are not aware of the dangers of coin lithium battery ingestion.

Visit www.TheBatteryControlled.com or www.energizer.com/coinbatterysafety for more information, facts and tips and watch Emmett’s story for a powerful illustration of such a small battery can cause big problems.

http://youtu.be/l_JILCIxxbU