Button batteries: How to keep kids safe

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Each year nearly 3,000 children are treated in emergency rooms after ingesting a button battery, according to the National Safety Council.

Button batteries are roughly the size of nickels and quarters. They're found in all types of household items, including: TV remotes, key fobs, watches, cameras, calculators, gaming headsets, and more.

If ingested, button batteries can be harmful to young children. In some instances they can be fatal.

The National Capitol Poison Center recommends the following:

Never leave batteries sitting out
Store spare batteries out of reach and sight of young children
Check household items to make sure battery compartments are sealed shut. If they can be easily opened, make sure they are out of reach of young children
Only purchase items that require a screwdriver to open the battery compartment or have a child-resistant locking mechanism

Most batteries that are ingested pass through the gut without a problem, according to the National Capitol Poison Center. But in recent years, cases have risen where young children have suffered severe esophageal or airway burns. Severe injuries happen when batteries get lodged in the esophagus' of young children. Burns and life-threatening complications can happen if the battery isn't removed within 2 hours.

Injuries can also happen when small batteries are placed near or in the nose and ear.

If you suspect your child has ingested a battery, here are some tips:

Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 1-800-498-8666.
Go to the emergency room - don't wait for symptoms to develop
If the child can swallow, give 2 teaspoons of honey every 10 minutes while going to the ER
With the exception of honey, don't let the child drink or eat until under the care of a doctor

Most battery ingestion and injuries happen in children 5-years-old and younger, according to Nationwide Children's. Doctors and health experts say parents should share button battery safety reminders with family, caregivers, and others to keep children safe.