Button Battery Safety

Button batteries are small, round, flat batteries that look like buttons. If they’re swallowed or placed in the nose or ear, they can quickly cause serious burns or injuries inside the body.

They’re used in a lot of small devices like toys, watches, key fobs, talking books, calculators, garage door openers, hearing aids, security system alarms, remotes, digital thermometers, holiday decorations, and flameless candles. Never leave button batteries within reach of children or pets.

Signs and Symptoms

Below are signs and symptoms your child may have if they swallow a button battery or put one in their nose or ear. Sometimes there are no symptoms.

Swallowed: fever, trouble breathing, throwing up (vomiting), throat pain, wheezing, coughing, choking, gagging, irritability, not wanting to eat or drink, or problems swallowing.

Place in the nose or ear: fever, irritability, pain or swelling around the nose or ear, or fluid draining or bleeding from the nose or ear.

What to Do

If you think your child has swallowed a button battery or put one in their nose or ear, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department (ED) right away. A button battery stuck in the nose, ear, or esophagus (swallowing tube) must be taken out as soon as possible to stop further injury. Your child will likely get an X-ray at the hospital.

Before getting to the hospital:

  • Do NOT make your child vomit.
  • Do NOT let them eat or drink.
  • If your child is over 12 months old and may have swallowed a button battery in the last 12 hours, give them 2 teaspoons of honey on the way to the ED – up to 5 more times, 10 minutes apart. Stop if they vomit or can’t swallow. DO NOT delay going to the hospital to get or give honey. Honey can help slow down injuries to the esophagus (swallowing tube) after ingestion of a button battery.

Staying Safe

  • If your child may have swallowed a button battery or put one in their nose or ear, follow the steps above in “What to Do.”
  • Do not let your child play with toys that use button batteries.
  • Store all batteries out of the sight and reach of children and pets. Store them in a locked container or cabinet.
  • Check all battery-powered devices in your home. Make sure the battery cover is closed tight and the compartment is secure (i.e. requires a tool to open).
  • Button batteries should be sold in safety packaging that can only be opened with scissors.

Battery Coatings

All button batteries can cause serious injury inside the body. Currently, there are no safe button batteries that don’t cause injury inside the body. Some batteries may help lower the risk of fully swallowing (ingestion) or help you find out sooner if your child swallows one:

  • Nontoxic coating that tastes bitter. This may not prevent all children from swallowing the battery, but it may help reduce risk if the child spits it out. Look for a ‘bitter’ icon (see below) on battery packaging to know which ones have this coating.

Sign with an icon of a child sticking their tongue out with the words "BITTER TASTE" at the bottom

  • Dye that turns the inside of the child’s mouth and/or fingertips blue (see below). This may suggest they handled a button battery and/or placed it in their mouth. Battery packaging will say if there is dye on the batteries.
  • Do not throw button batteries in the trash when removed from a device. A button battery that no longer powers a device can still cause injury inside the body.

Picture of a child with their tongue sticking out with blue dye on their tongue

 

 

Helping Hands™ Patient Education Materials

Helping Hands™ are easy-to-read guides about different illnesses, therapies, surgeries, and more. They’re created by the Patient Education team at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and are reviewed and approved by clinical staff, like nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and psychologists. Nationwide Children's Hospital is not responsible for misuse of information in patient education materials, including Helping Hands.

HH-IV-129 | ©2012, revised 2025, Nationwide Children’s Hospital