The medical world is just waking up to this issue and Dr Kate Parkins is currently highlighting this issue to the medical world and the general public. Dr Kate Parkins is a Paediatric Consultant.

The issue is that of button Lithium batteries have caused a number of paediatric deaths in the UK and probably many more that have not been associated with this product.

In a nut shell the issue is that these small batteries are easily swallowed by children and easily available in Christmas cards, birthday card and small toys, as well as the Pound shops selling a sheet of 20+ for a £1.

They have also been reports of these batteries being swallowed by the elderly who have confused them with their medication / pills, and have swallowed them by mistake. This is easily done if you’re partially sighted / blind or suffering from dementia.

The outcome is serious - The batteries lodge in the airways, nose or food pipe and within hours start an electrical reaction with the mucus and tissue that leads to a localised ulceration.