HEALTH
Ask Dr Mark
YOUR QUESTIONS / BLOOD PRESSURE / MUSIC
Our GP answers questions on the dangers of swallowing batteries, ‘wisdom warts’, dry mouth, and travelling with prescription drugs
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MARK LONG
Q I am writing to share what happened to our family last Christmas in the hope it might prevent others going through the same. Our two-year-old granddaughter, Emily, swallowed one of my husband’s hearing aid batteries after he changed them, just before lunch. He left the old ones on the arm of his chair. Emily ended up spending Christmas and Boxing Day in hospital. She was fine, but I had no idea how common this is, or how serious it could have been. Please spread the word.
I’m glad Emily was OK. I don’t have recent figures for the UK, but 3,500 children are seen every year in US hospitals after swallowing button batteries. The Child Accident Prevention Trust says at least two children die each year in the UK after ingesting them.
‘At least two children die a year in the UK after ingesting button batteries – hearing aid batteries are the number one culprit’