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In Australia roughly 20 kids per week present to emergency having swallowed or inserted a button battery and in several cases many have tragically died. It is
by calsy 5y ago
In Australia roughly 20 kids per week present to emergency having swallowed or inserted a button battery and in several cases many have tragically died.
It is an agonising death over a period of days/weeks for the child and horrible for the parents to witness. Many times both the parents and medical professionals don't realise what is actually happening to the child until it is too late. There is growing support for much tighter regulations of these batteries and limiting there use overall.
Apple is certainly not the only company who are using them, not by a long shot. But they are not some holy grail of replaceable batteries and it surprising Apple would decide to use them now.
If you are interested ABC in Australia did a rather big report into the increasing incidents of button battery related deaths and injuries, telling the story of families who's lives were turned upside down by them. It is incredibly difficult reading.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-15/button-batteries-landmines-in-the-loungeroom/13041928 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-15/button-batteries-land...
- hackama 5y agoCR2032 is 2cm wide so you're probably referring to smaller batteries as these cannot be swallowed by a child.
- calsy 5y agoThe link in my post shows the damage a CR2032 button does when swallowed.
- ghaff 5y agoI imagine smaller diameter batteries are a bigger issue but apparently the concerns are for this class of batteries in general. [1] That said, I don't see a call for banning them but just for being aware of the potential danger. (Although another link in this thread does seem to actively discourage using them.) [1] https://www.kidsafevic.com.au/product-safety/button-batteries/ https://www.kidsafevic.com.au/product-safety/button-batterie...
- calsy 5y agoYes there is, that ABC article is especially painful to read. The number of parents holding pictures of these kids most no older than 4 who have died from these batteries. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-15/button-batteries-landmines-in-the-loungeroom/13041928?nw=0 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-15/button-batteries-land... https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-welcomes-safety-and-information-standards-for-button-batteries https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-welcomes-safety-a...
- ghaff 5y agoPeople are not going to stop using small replaceable batteries.
- calsy 5y agoAnd kids will continue to die from them, if you want to be that absolute about the topic.
- ghaff 5y agoThe devices themselves are probably choking hazards for young kids. As are a thousand other things around the house to say nothing of poisons.
- skeletonjelly 5y agoThe other thousand of things aren't as small though right?
- calsy 5y agoYes and items that are choking hazards for children are taken off the shelves. Poisonous chemicals must by law be clearly labeled and have child safety caps on them. Button batteries are not regulated, are found in more and more toys and devices that don't have necessary safety measures, have no warnings, are easily swallowed, the body gives no immediate reaction unlike chocking, is misdiagnosed because of this, and is an incredibly painful and prolonged death. That ABC article I linked describes a family watching their 14-month old daughter dying over 19 days as the battery literally burns her insides while doctors continue to misdiagnose the problem until its too late. This is not a tragic one off incident, it is occurring repeatedly and will continue to do so if things stay as they are.
- sgerenser 5y agoLast package of 2032s I bought had a foul-tasting coating on them that is supposed to make small children instantly spit them out. Is that not standard nowadays? Not sure how effective it is as I was not brave enough to lick them myself.
- oasisbob 5y agoThat is simply not true. Children can easily ingest objects 2cm in diameter, and batteries that size can be especially dangerous because of how they lodge in the esophagus. Citing Eck, Langham says, "Clinical outcomes can be determined by assessing the diameter of the button battery, as 90% of all major or fatal outcomes are associated with lithium batteries of 20 to 25 mm in diameter" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7536469/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7536469/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32011339/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32011339/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430915/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430915/
- hackama 5y agoInteresting, I did not know that. What I also find interesting is that those that did swallow a battery between 20 - 25mm, there was no damage in more than 50% of the cases. https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/6/1168/tab-figures-data https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/6/1168/ta...
- calsy 5y agoThose statistics are over a decade old, they also clearly summarise the danger of 20mm sized batteries. 'RESULTS: All 3 data sets signal worsening outcomes, with a 6.7-fold increase in the percentage of button battery ingestions with major or fatal outcomes from 1985 to 2009 (National Poison Data System). Ingestions of 20- to 25-mm-diameter cells increased from 1% to 18% of ingested button batteries (1990–2008), paralleling the rise in lithium-cell ingestions (1.3% to 24%). Outcomes were significantly worse for large-diameter lithium cells (≥20 mm) and children who were younger than 4 years. The 20-mm lithium cell was implicated in most severe outcomes.'
- askvictor 5y agoThe rule of thumb used to be that if it fits in a 35mm film canister, it's too small to have around children younger than 3. Nowadays I suppose a lot of people don't know what a film 35 mm canister is...
- unwind 5y agoIn Sweden all infant parents are offered the "smådelscylinder" (literally "cylinder for small parts") [1] in which you can put things to determine if they're safe or not. Very handy. [1]: https://www.homesafety.se/produkter/ovriga-produkter/smadelscylinder-a-safety https://www.homesafety.se/produkter/ovriga-produkter/smadels...
- raisedbyninjas 5y agoAnother metric is a toilet paper tube.
- oasisbob 5y agoButton batteries and neodymium magnets both are pretty horrifying when taken internally. I would be curious to see how Apple protects the battery compartment of the AirTag, I'm sure they thought about this. eg, my car key fob needs to be forcefully pulled apart into three pieces before it even hints there's a battery inside.
- jwr 5y ago> neodymium magnets This. I personally know a parent who lost a child this way. The worst scenario imaginable: the child swallowed a magnet, and then another one a day later. The magnets brought together two sections of their intestine. By the time the problem was serious enough to warrant a visit to the hospital, it was too late. Be very, very careful with small magnets.
- maaaaattttt 5y agoI wonder if (and I wish) battery producers could use the same "coating" as the Nintendo Switch cartridges. They taste disgusting and greatly reduce the risk of having a child swallowing them.
- bengale 5y agoWhy have you told me this, I now have an urge to go test this by licking a cartridge.
- geoduck14 5y agoI don't have a cartridge. Please lick yours and report back.
- wizzwizz4 5y agoThey don't taste much worse than pills-for-adults – unless you dislike bitter things, I suppose. The goal is to stop very small children from eating them, not determined 6-year-olds.
- bengale 5y agoI have regrets. It's really weird, super bitter.
- nemetroid 5y agoIt was less bitter than I expected. Closer to arugula than Fernet.
- Izkata 5y agoDon't worry, you're not alone - about 4 years ago it got reported on so everyone wanted to try it.
- justjash 5y agoThey already do on some. I bought a pack of 2032s (Duracell maybe?) a few weeks back that had the coating.
- fiznool 5y agoJust wanted to say thank you for posting this. I have three small children and had no idea of the dangers these batteries pose. We seem to be changing button batteries every couple of weeks or so, they are in a number of sound books and toys we have around the house. I will be sure to take extra care with them after reading that article. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.
- tekknik 5y agoI’m sorry, you have a child and didn’t know button batteries (or batteries in general) were dangerous? Is there not a clear choking hazard and the knowledge it’s filled with toxic/hazardous chemicals? This should be common sense.
- leokennis 5y agoNice way to shame someone brave enough to admit they were lacking in knowledge and announcing action to improve their live.
- tekknik 5y agoYea it’s called being concerned for their kid.
- tekknik 5y agoNotice how you’re not explaining why I look ridiculous? Please, tell me how an infant is smarter than you
- leokennis 5y agoI’m sorry...what are you on about? If your goal is to have heated discussions with strangers on the net, there are better platforms out there for that than HN. Your comment style makes you look really insecure. Be aware of that. The fact is, kids face many dangers and as a parent you cannot be aware of all of them. So if you’re introduced to a new danger and your reaction is “I didn’t know this, but now that I do I’m immediately making changes to prevent impact of this danger on my kid” that deserves praise. Not cheeky low effort guilt tripping.