If a child swallows a button battery, they can be left with internal injuries that are catastrophic and life changing. Sadly, some injuries can be fatal. A powerful button battery can have devastating effects in just a couple of hours.
17-month-old Hughie McMahon died in Motherwell on Boxing Day after swallowing a button battery. His tragic death highlights the need to spread the word to parents and carers.
Many parents simply don’t know the damage that button batteries can do and are shocked to discover how many everyday products in their homes are powered by them.
Free printed and downloadable resources
The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) has developed free button battery safety resources for practitioners to display and share with families, including:
- A colourful poster featuring an illustrated house, asking the question “Button batteries – where are yours?” to start conversations.
- A two-part session plan including a pictorial flashcard and workshop outline, to support sessions with families.
- A leaflet explaining the risks, sharing safety tips, and giving emergency advice to parents who think their child may have swallowed a button battery.
- A factsheet translated into 17 community languages, describing the risks and where to look for button batteries at home.
The resources are free to download now from CAPT’s online button battery safety hub https://www.capt.org.uk/button-battery-safety and printed copies are free to order from CAPT’s online shop https://www.capt.org.uk/pages/shop/department/button-batteries.
Help spread the word
You can sign up to receive the latest news and updates on child accident prevention https://www.capt.org.uk/sign-up and connect with CAPT on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/childaccidentpreventiontrust to share content with your own network and hear about new resources as they become available.
Please help us spread the word to as many families as possible to help prevent more tragedies.