Coin Cell Safety

Disclosure: this post contains sponsored content.

Three years ago this month I was working at my desk, chatting with  my friend Shannan in Skype, and looking forward to the summer with my kids.  That’s when Shannan told me her littlest, D, was complaining of a stomach ache.  We did what we always do as moms and said a quick, “Please let it be nothing” prayer and hoped that this was not the beginning of a stomach bug making its way through her home.

Unlike just a regular tummy ache, this turned far worse and quickly.  Her little guy was doubled over in pain with no other stomach bug symptoms.

Following her instincts, Shannan took him to the emergency room.  The carefree Skype chat turned to urgent text messages.  IV’s, catheters, ultrasounds, and then a trip to a larger hospital.  That is when they did an xray and found what most parents would never suspect…

Her son had swallowed a button battery and it was lodged in his esophagus.

Shannan writes,

You know those little batteries that power small toys, remotes, kids books, or in our case, a headlamp flashlight that never caused a second thought in my mind before? When swallowed and wedged into the soft tissue of the esophagus, they create a current and can leak. This combination can cause burns, ulcerations and perforation of the esophagus. And if left for too long, can cause a child to die.

I am so thankful to share that D is okay today, but this was an eye-opening experience for me and for all of our friends.

To tackle this alarming issue head on, Rayovac, has developed new coin cell packaging with the goal of decreasing the likelihood of accidental battery ingestion.  According to research, there are approximately 500 cases of coin cells being swallowed each year. While only 6% of these cases involve batteries that came directly from the packaging, Rayovac continues to increase awareness by implementing further changes to the packaging of its specialty batteries.

Tangible changes include updated warnings on the front and back side of the battery pack.  An updated warning icon and improved warning copy inform the consumer of the hazards associated with coin cell batteries.  Later in 2013, Rayovac will start shipping coin-cell sized batteries that are physically imprinted with a child safety warning so awareness and education continues after the packaging is discarded.

Further enhancements include an improved packaging structure that helps to prevent accidental ingestions.  The new coin cell package has been newly created to trap the plastic blister that holds the battery between two cards.  Now, to access the battery, a pair of scissors is required.  For multi-packs, each cell is individually sealed requiring the consumer to cut out each battery. This update has proven to be substantial because individual dispensing is now encouraged.

To learn more about this issue and the steps Rayovac is taking, visit to prevent incidents like the one experienced in Shannan’s house, visit Rayovac.com.

About Rayovac

Rayovac is a worldwide leader in battery power and innovation.  Backed by a long history of bringing the latest innovations to the marketplace, Rayovac offers a full range of high-performance batteries to meet the power needs of today’s consumers.  From long-lasting alkaline batteries to advanced green rechargeable technology to the world’s top-selling, longest lasting mercury free hearing aid battery, Rayovac’s state-of-the-art products offer more power for the money.  The company also manufactures a wide selection of high-quality flashlights.  For more information, visit www.rayovac.com.

This post is sponsored as part of the Rayovac Power Blogger program.  All opinions are my own.  Thank you to Shannan and her family for allowing me to share their story.

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2 Comments

  • Thank you for including our story. I hope prevents even one more family from having to go through this.

  • I read about this years ago and am still surprised how few people understand the danger. Children swallow things more often than houses burn down, but how many people think to make sure their child care givers have this kind of information?