Doctors’ safety plea after surge in kids swallowing dangerous objects

Leading NHS children’s doctors in the North West are encouraging parents to be alert to the dangers of small toys this Christmas after surgeons have had to perform life-saving operations to remove button batteries, magnetic balls and Christmas cracker toys, in previous years.

The number of children being admitted to hospital after ingesting small objects has doubled over the last 10 years to 228, according to the latest data.

The warning comes as children wake up to new presents and toys with small - and potentially hazardous - parts on Christmas Day morning.

NHS doctors are particularly concerned by small button batteries which frequently make up part of several high-profile Christmas gifts and also charge festive lights, TV remotes, watches, thermometers and even musical Christmas cards.

The tiny batteries can burn through a young person’s throat, food pipe or other internal body part, in a very short period of time if swallowed, causing irreversible damage.

If not spotted a battery can become get lodged and leak alkali over a period of time, creating a huge abscess cavity in the chest that can be fatal.

Young children are particularly likely to put small objects in their mouth and the Child Accident Trust says at least two children a year die in the UK from swallowing the batteries, while survivors may end up with life-changing alterations to their anatomy.

NHS national clinical director for children and young people and consultant paediatric surgeon at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital NHS FT, Professor Simon Kenny, said: "This time of the year is meant to be one of joy as families come together - and the last thing anyone wants is to spend Christmas at hospital as their child undergoes life-saving surgery.

"But unfortunately we are seeing an increase in the number of children at hospital because they have swallowed a foreign object - double the number we had 10 years ago - and the consequences can be devastating, especially when that object is a button battery or magnetic ball causing irreversible damage.

"We know these batteries and other small objects are part of Christmas gifts, lights and other everyday items like remote controls, but I would urge parents to keep their children as safe as possible by making sure loose batteries are securely out of reach and any gifts have batteries screwed in especially if they are bought online or from less reputable sources."

The number of children under 15 who were admitted to hospital and required treatment after ingesting a small object has risen from 115 in 2011/12 to 228 in 2021/22, according to NHS Digital data.

This data is for children aged 0-14 and does not account for food, water, or other liquid like bleach, or for anyone that did not require hospital admission because for example they were treated in the community or died before being admitted to hospital.

The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital saw a rise in cases during the pandemic likely due to children being at home with toys more and has called on parents to be very attentive to what is left lying around and in reach of children this Christmas.

Dr Rachael Barber, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital’s Medical Director, said: "At this time of the year we see a spike in inhaled and swallowed foreign bodies which unfortunately means more children being referred to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital in need of life-saving, major surgery.

"Button batteries are the leading item causing life threatening injuries often with lifelong repercussions but magnets are a real problem too.

"The batteries are particularly destructive because they can cause problems in two ways – firstly, if there is residual charge in the battery then it will set up an electric current causing the battery to leak alkali which causes serious caustic damage too.

"Across the country, we’ve seen children present extremely unwell and sadly even some deaths due to these batteries getting stuck in the swallowing tube and eroding into major blood vessel and the major airways.

"Magnets cause real issues too and there was a recent case where a child had magnetic ball bearings - one in the airway and one in the oesophagus – which were stuck to each other across the dividing tissues.

"Fortunately, it was caught early and the surgical team could remove them before they made a hole.

"The magnets continue to cause problems in children’s bowels requiring major abdominal surgery.

"There can also be issues with young children getting hold of toxic cleaning materials, such as caustic soda, bleach and toilet cleaner, and then drinking it - the sort of things we all have in our homes but that can cause horrific injuries.

“We all know that children can get into anything and everything goes in their mouth - we just need to really be very attentive to what we leave in reach."

NHS England is advising parents to follow the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents advice to protect their children including:

·       Make sure that toys and other products using button batteries, such as small electronic devices, have lockable battery compartments. This should mean that they are safe for children to use as the batteries are locked away;

·       Be extra vigilant with items including musical greeting cards, flameless candles and remote controls as they do not have lockable compartments. RoSPA advises that children should not be allowed to have access to these products if the battery compartment is not secure;

·       Ensure that spare batteries are locked away, and used batteries are disposed of correctly;

·       If a child swallows a battery, immediately take them to A&E.

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