When Button Batteries Become Breakfast: The Hidden Dangers of Button Battery Ingestion

Injuries due to button battery ingestion continue to evolve with worsening clinical outcomes reported in recent years. These batteries pose a unique hazard to children due to the severity of complications that may arise within a short period of time as well as their availability in almost every home environment in the United States. It is crucial that health care providers maintain a high level of clinical suspicion for foreign body ingestion and facilitate rapid triage and treatment in these cases. Nurses should educate all children and families about button battery safety to prevent injury and decrease the morbidity and mortality related to ingestion. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.