Parent PSA: Perils of Lithium Cell Batteries

[Mara]

we read this article in the NYT last week and it really struck home. J is still a bit of a ways from being mobile but this is something i never would have thought about.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/31/for-very-young-peril-lurks-in-lithium-cell-batteries/

we are def going to check all our small remotes (fan remotes, ipod/bose remotes etc)... for these and get rid of them. it also makes us think about random other things with babyproofing we wouldn''t have thought about.

 

[fieryred33143]

that is terrible. My heart breaks for that family

.

The things you have to worry about when you have another life depending on you...unbelievable. We still have a ton of baby proofing to do. We didn''t anticipate all of the things S would get into or take interest in. I''m definitely going to look out for those batteries. I know we use them in the living room fan remote.

 

[curlygirl]

I had read about this as well. So sad and so preventable. We checked all of our devices around the house and none of them use those lithium batteries but now it is something I will always be on the lookout for.

Thanks for posting this, Mara. It''s one more thing to worry about but you can''t be too safe when you have little children.

 

[lili]

that is so sad.
thanks for posting.

 

[Mara]

it was heartbreaking to read... only 2 hours and already damage is done. couldn''t even imagine trying to troubleshoot and never imagining what the problem is.

babyproofing... i don''t even want to think about it, i feel like our house is SO not child-friendly. can i just put him in a self-contained bubble til he''s 15?

 

[lyra]

You know what, it''s not just babies either. We just learned a couple of years ago that our oldest daughter, now 22, used to swallow coins (nickels and quarters) when she was already in school! We will definitely watch out for this sort of thing when we have grandchildren. I swear I had no idea my daughter was doing the coin thing at all. Imagine if it was batteries. You never know what a kid will do!

 

[Ara Ann]

Thanks for posting the link...I had no idea either.

Another serious danger for small kids are strong magnets. I saw a TV news program awhile ago, about a young boy/toddler who also died after swallowing several strong magnets and as they moved through his system, they were pulled together and actually penetrated the walls of his intestines. Very tragic and sad as well. These strong magnets were sold for a time, as toys for older kids...not sure if they are still being sold, but good to know about too.

 

[Mara]

yup re: Small objects...my sisters both stuck items up their noses (a bean and a penny) and who knows what they (and i!) may have eaten as well when we were little.

 

[lilyfoot]

Oh goodness, that is so horrible. I immediately forwarded that email to all the parents I know

ETA: They're even in children's books that talk.

 

[Mara]

Date: 6/23/2010 2:22:51 PM
Author: lilyfoot
Oh goodness, that is so horrible. I immediately forwarded that email to all the parents I know

ETA: They're even in children's books that talk.

Yes and also those big greeting cards that sing songs or talk to you... Kids LOVE those... we had one and my cousin's daughter would always want to play with it.

 

[steph72276]

Thanks for posting this Mara. Stories like this make me so sad, but it''s good to know. Never would have thought about all the ones we have around the house. My mom always sends those voice greeting cards to the boys, and I let Andrew carry it around not thinking twice. I''m putting them all up in my closet now!