A button battery is small enough to go missing without being noticed and is also small enough to be swallowed by a small child. It can happen in the blink of an eye and it can be deadly.
Trista Hamsmith noticed that her 17 month old daughter, Reese, wasn't feeling well. She had a runny nose and was wheezing and gagging. She called the doctor and made an appointment. At that appointment, Reese was diagnosed with croup. Unfortunately, there was an important piece of information not yet known.
Soon after the visit to the pediatrician, the family discovered that a button battery was missing from a device in their home. They rushed Reese to the emergency room where an x-ray confirmed their fears. Reese had swallowed the tiny button battery. It was surgically removed right away, but unfortunately severe injury had already occurred. In the days and weeks that followed, Reese battled hard to survive, but after a little more than a month, she died from the injuries caused by swallowing the button battery.
What Can You Do? Reese's family is telling her story and fighting for change to help prevent tragedies like this from happening to other families in the future. They have created a petition at Change.org for people to voice support of national standards related to consumer products containing button batteries. To learn more about the petition, click here.
From Trista Hamsmith: "As a mom, I cannot tell you the cost to add safer closures to products with button batteries. I can, however, confidently speak to the cost of not having these safety measures in place. My daughter, Reese, swallowed a button battery in October 2020; she endured countless surgeries and scopes and was intubated under sedation for 40 days. Reese lost her fight on December 17, 2020, at just 18 months old."
Take a look at the video, Reese's Purpose, that was created to tell the story.
You probably have more button batteries in your home than you realize. If something is small and powered, chances are, it has a button battery inside. On some items, the battery compartment is secured with a tiny screw. Others are designed with convenience in mind and an adult, a young child or a pet could easily access the battery. Look around and consider whether you have hidden danger devices that need to be closely monitored or secured. In addition to TOYS, many items just like the ones listed below are powered by button batteries. - Watches
- Hearing aids
- Singing greeting cards
- Battery powered candles
- Thermometers
- Remotes for electronics
- Car keys
- Garage door keychain fobs
- Locator devices (for dog collar, keys, phones, etc.
- Over the counter muscle pain devices
- .....and many more
For more information on the dangers of button batteries, visit
|