Warning as toddler needs surgery after swallowing battery
MEDICS at a leading Bristol children’s hospital are warning of the dangers of small batteries found in Christmas presents - after a toddler needed surgery after swallowing one.
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children issued the warning after little SofiaGrace had to undergo an operation on its wards to remove the small watch battery she had swallowed.
Sofia’s dad Calham had noticed something was wrong with his usually happy and healthy daughter when she started having problems breathing and eating and drinking.
He took Sofia-Grace, who turns two this month, to the GP and hospital on numerous occasions before an x-ray was carried out in May.
The scan revealed that Sofia-Grace had a watch battery the size of a 10p coin lodged in her throat which had caused serious damage to her oesophagus.
Sofia-Grace had an operation at the hospital to remove the battery and a subsequent operation and treatments to care for her injuries.
She had a tube fitted to help her with her feeding and to stop her throat from closing completely.
Sofia-Grace was cared for by teams at the hospital, including its major trauma team, and will now need follow-up appointments until she has fully recovered.
Calham, from Wiltshire, is unsure how Sofia-Grace got hold of the watch battery but is relieved it was discovered in time.
He said: “Sofia is now on a purée diet and doing very well. She is improving week by week with regular dilations which is stretching and improving her oesophagus.”
The hospital has issued a warning about the dangers of small batteries and magnets often found in toys.
A hospital spokesman said: “A child may not show symptoms if a battery or magnet is swallowed or ingested but it can have severe consequences if not treated or attended to by medical teams quickly.
“The newer neodymium magnets are much stronger than normal magnets and are found in many household objects and toys.
“When more than one magnet or a magnet and another metal object is swallowed, it can cause significant damage to the bowel.
“The more magnets swallowed, the greater the risk. A lithium battery could get stuck in the oesophagus and can cause a significant burn to the tissues within two hours.”
“This advice is important all year round, but around Christmas is a particularly important time to be aware of this advice.
“Do not leave button batteries, items containing button batteries, or small magnets lying around the house - keep them out of reach children.
“If there is any concern that a child has swallowed a battery or magnet, immediately call 999 or attend the Emergency Department.”