A world-first coin lithium battery designed to prevent devastating burns if swallowed has launched in Australia, marking a major breakthrough in protecting young children.
If a 20mm battery becomes lodged in a child’s throat, it can begin causing severe chemical burns within 15 minutes, with life-threatening injuries possible in as little as two hours.
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Coin lithium batteries are found in everyday household items including key fobs, smart tags, garage door remotes, and security sensors, with the average Australian home containing around 5.8 products powered by the batteries.
The newly released Energizer Ultimate Child Shield is the world’s first 20mm coin lithium battery designed to eliminate the risk of burning if swallowed.
The new technology comes as an estimated 20 Australian children present to hospital emergency departments each week with suspected coin lithium battery ingestion.
The battery features Colour Alert technology, which dyes a child’s mouth blue when it comes into contact with saliva to indicate a possible ingestion.
It includes a non-toxic bitter coating intended to discourage swallowing, as well as child-resistant packaging.
Speaking to Sunrise on Wednesday, Dr Ginni Mansberg said many parents do not realise the batteries can remain dangerous even after they have stopped powering a device.
She said even after the batteries have “stopped working” they can still cause a chemical burn in the food pipe that can “potentially be really nasty for children”.
Mansberg urged parents to seek emergency help immediately if they suspect a child has swallowed a coin lithium battery.
“If you’re just sitting there going ‘I’m not sure if she swallowed it or not’, err on the side of caution and get help as soon as possible,” she said.
“Don’t try to manage this yourself, don’t try to make your child vomit, don’t do any of that — just call triple-0.”
Energizer head of international marketing Amanda Broderick described the new technology as “life-changing”, offering another layer of protection for families.
While welcoming the innovation, Mansberg stressed it should not replace safe storage.
She described the technology as “amazing technology” that gives parents additional reassurance, but advised families to keep batteries out of children’s reach, ideally locked away, and to ensure loose or used batteries are never left lying around.
Mansberg also encouraged parents and carers to complete a child first aid course so they know how to respond in an emergency.
