Every year hundreds of lithium coin batteries are accidentally ingested, with more than half being swallowed by children under age 6*. As devices such as remotes, games, and key fobs get smaller, more lithium coin batteries are needed.
Left untreated, an ingested lithium coin battery can get stuck in the oesophagus causing a harmful chemical reaction which can become fatal in as little as two hours. If you believe your child swallowed a battery, visit the emergency room immediately.
*NBIH Biennial Report (Jul 2014 – Jun 2016), Washington DC
The battery has a ring-shaped layer which has a bad taste to discourage swallowing from babies and toddlers. We are using Bitrex®, the bitterest substance in the world commonly used in household products to prevent ingestion. The bitter taste layer on the Duracell cell is non-toxic and completely harmless if consumed. Find out more on bitrex.com.
*Applied on 2032, 2025 and 2016 batteries. Those batteries have a diameter of 20mm, which is similar to the size of a child’s oesophagus. If swallowed, they are linked to major effects vs. smaller batteries.
The battery has a ring-shaped layer which has a bad taste to discourage swallowing from babies and toddlers. We are using Bitrex®, the bitterest substance in the world commonly used in household products to prevent ingestion. The bitter taste layer on the Duracell cell is non-toxic and completely harmless if consumed. Find out more on bitrex.com.
*Applied on 2032, 2025 and 2016 batteries. Those batteries have a diameter of 20mm, which is similar to the size of a child’s oesophagus. If swallowed, they are linked to major effects vs. smaller batteries.
Devices, such as key-fobs, remote controls and kitchen scales, are getting smaller and more power hungry. That’s why more and more devices are powered by lithium coins. However, those batteries can be a hazard for small children.
Every year hundreds of children accidentally ingested lithium coin batteries. If swallowed, a lithium coin battery can get lodged in a child’s oesophagus and cause serious harm in as little as two hours.
Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital and Duracell join hands to raise awareness on risks of accidental ingestion of lithium coin batteries among children Learn More+
Looking for more information and additional tips?
If your child swallows a battery, go to the emergency room.