Swallowing a button battery can be fatal: Pediatricians

Parents often don't realize how dangerous it can be if their child swallows a button battery. According to pediatricians Margot Smit and Angelika Kndermann, a battery that is stuck in the esophagus can lead to necrosis. "The aim is therefore to remove the battery as soon as possible, preferably within one hour", say the doctors. Smit and Kindermann note that the number of incidents involving swallowed button batteries has increased significantly in their practices during the last four years.