Swallow a battery? Doctors may recommend that you eat like Winnie the Pooh.
Such was the case of little Isabella Telford, who was given an entire jar of honey to consume by NHS doctors after ingesting one from a toy.
Swallowed batteries are a serious medical emergency, as the devices that power countless household appliances and toys can puncture the stomach.
It is estimated that two children die each year in the UK due to ingesting batteries.
But regular honey can dramatically reduce the health risk, as the sweet substance acts as an effective barrier against the corrosive qualities of the battery.
Isabella, 4, was enjoying a family day out and had to be rushed to the hospital after swallowing a battery that allegedly fell from a children’s toy.
Isabella’s mother, Adele Telford (left), 31, said that the moment she found out Isabella had swallowed the battery, she and her wife Emily (right) had to rush her to hospital. The couple is pictured here with Isabella and one of her other children, eight-month-old Everley.
The ring light containing the battery Isabella swallowed and as a result had to be rushed to the hospital.
Four-year-old Isabella’s ordeal began after she bought a small ring light while enjoying a family day out at Haven’s Wild Duck Holiday Park, near Great Yarmouth, in Norfolk, last month.
However, after the family, from the city of Diss, returned home, Isabella swallowed the battery, prompting the family to rush her to the hospital.
Once there, doctors at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital gave him an entire jar of honey to eat in a bid to prevent the battery from causing damage.
When exposed to saliva, batteries create a powerful alkaline solution that essentially dissolves internal tissue, which can cause potentially fatal damage.
But honey has been shown to counteract this effect, in part by creating a slimy barrier that physically protects the battery tissue and also helps neutralize the harsh alkaline solution.
Fortunately, honey worked in Isabella’s case and while she was carefully monitored in the hospital she managed to pass the battery without incident the next day.
Isabella’s mother, Adele Telford, 31, recalled the moment she learned Isabella had swallowed the battery.
“(When Isabella swallowed the drums), the kids were playing in the living room while we were doing things around the house,” he said.
“I was in the kitchen and Isabella called and said she had swallowed something.
‘I think he realized by the look on our faces that he had done something wrong. It took a little coaxing to figure out what she had swallowed.
“He had kept his ring in his little toy kitchen and when he took it out it was all in pieces.
‘The hood was open and two of the batteries were rolling.
“He said he had swallowed one of the batteries because there were only two and there should have been three.”
Mrs Telford said she had heard about the dangers surrounding batteries and children and knew she and her wife Emily needed to get urgent medical help for Isabella.
“At that point, I just looked at my wife and told her I had to go to the ER right away because I had read such horrors about button batteries.” she said.
“I was very worried that the battery had burned his throat or stomach.
‘They took her to the children’s unit and told her they had to give her 10ml of honey every 10 minutes until the doctor told her to stop.
“They laid her down on a little bed and gave Emily a big jar of honey and a syringe and she fed her honey for two hours.”
Ms Telford claimed that the lid containing the lighting ring batteries was only held on with “hot glue” which “disintegrated when one of the other batteries started leaking into the casing”.
This caused them to let go and that’s when Isabella swallowed them.
Doctors at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital gave him an entire jar of honey to eat to prevent the battery from causing damage.
Government guidance on batteries from the Office of Product Safety and Standards states that manufacturers “must ensure that the product has a battery compartment that can be closed securely and cannot be inadvertently opened, to prevent a child remove the batteries”.
Responding to Ms Telford’s claims, Haven said the product complies with all EU health and safety standards, but they have alerted the manufacturer and temporarily withdrawn the product from sale while the incident is investigated.
The mother of three also warned other parents about the dangers of small batteries around young children.
“We were lucky, but another family might not be as lucky as us,” he said.
“If your child swallows a button battery, you should start giving him honey as soon as possible and take him to the nearest hospital as soon as possible as well,” he said.
The NHS is urging Britons to take children who have swallowed a battery to A&E as quickly as possible.
During this time, you can feed them honey, about two teaspoons every 10 minutes.
However, this is only the case for children over 12 months, as honey can pose a health hazard to very young children.
NHS advice also states that you should not give your child anything else to eat or drink or try to make them vomit.
Additionally, parents are advised to watch for symptoms such as vomiting, chest or throat pain, drooling, and difficulty swallowing, as children can often swallow batteries without parents realizing.
If unsure, parents can contact NHS 111 for advice.
Once at the hospital, medical scans and evaluations can determine the next steps.
If the battery becomes stuck, the child may need surgery to remove it.
However, if it reaches the stomach, most of the danger has passed and the child can usually be observed at home to see if the battery can pass naturally.
Studies have also estimated that approximately one in every 2,500 children who swallow a battery dies from the injuries sustained.
The danger posed by ingesting batteries varies with age, with younger children being more vulnerable to serious injury.
