Initial awareness program

Transcription

1 Ingestion of Disc (Button) Batteries a Silent Killer on the Increase Initial awareness program Susan Teerds CEO Kidsafe Queensland Inc How do kids access disc batteries? Loose: Purchased loose After removed from product by adult (table, benchtop) Discarded (floor, bin, storage container) Battery packaging: not required to be child resistant Product: Accessible battery compartment Broken product/ battery compartment Compartment not resecured Ingested whole product: torches, hearing aids 3V batteries still have sufficient charge (1.5V) when spent to cause damage Toys vs products aimed at kids Injuries Severe injury associated with battery becoming lodged in one position Any battery with more than 1.2V of charge 3V 2cm batteries associated with highest risk: size and charge Production of NaOH ions at the anode (negative pole) Caustic injury with local erosion through tissue Damage continues even after battery removal Pattern of injury due to: Charge direction battery facing location (oesophageal) Duration (> 1 hour) Trend data

2 US trend data NBIH major/fatal 7 How do children present? Battery missing Seen to have been playing with one Parents heard a gulp, cough or choking episode Self reported by child (older) Occult cases: Very non specific and presentation/ diagnosis often delayed Partial food refusal: (can still vomit, take soft food/ fluids) Drooling Mimic croup Chest pain Upper GI bleeding Mimic epistaxis Ear/ nasal discharge 8 Antero-posterior and lateral x-rays Hunter Lucky Leo makes a full recovery after emergency surgery to remove a button battery from his Oesophagus October 3, 2014 The Daily Telegraph 11 WHEN nine-month-old Leo Lever started vomiting, wheezing and becoming increasingly distressed his mum Francesca took him to the hospital, where he was treated for croup

3 Family pushes for safety overhaul of button batteries following death of baby Current issues Exposure, particularly to 2cm batteries increasing Batteries accessed pre, in and post product Range of different products Only toys for kids under 36 months are regulated Proportion of occult/ severe cases increasing Medical delays can contribute to disability Diagnostic Radiologic Transport/ management Death can occur weeks after battery removal Strategies: prevention Awareness: social media Voluntary guidelines for industry Secure battery compartments Guideline for promotional products Child resistant packaging Labelling Horizontal battery standard: any product that contains a disc battery should be robustly constructed and have a secure compartment Battery recycling initiative Novel ideas to prevent kids from swallowing them/ damage

4 A button battery awareness survey conducted by QUT Wesfarmer retailers acknowledge dangers and take action National button battery social media blitz in November ACCC industry forums Presentations through Health ED to GPs Presentation at Grand Rounds LCCH Articles in various parenting type magazines Letters sent to all Qld schools and churches warning of the danger Information sent to AMA Various health alerts Article in the industry magazine for imported of promotional products 19 Battery packaging in Target stores 20 Kidsafe is working with the Australian Battery Recycling Initiative that has approval of funds for a battery collection and destruction pilot for button batteries, initially in NSW Kidsafe is working through the Coronial recommendations with key stakeholders including Fair Trading, ACCC, Queensland Health, retailers, product manufacturers, battery manufacturers, Poisons Information centres, key medical agencies and colleges, etc. Kidsafe encourages the public to force change by not purchasing products without a secure battery compartment that a child cannot access without tools. Kidsafe is a watchdog for unsafe products and reports items to the ACC, Fair trading or directly to the supplier (as in the case of the Commonwealth Bank) 21 Australian Battery Recycling Initiative Around 58 million button batteries sold in Australia in (400 million handheld batteries in total) Vast majority go to landfill at end of life batteries are recyclable but <3% of button batteries are recycled The priority issue for ABRI and policy makers is SAFE management of used batteries at end of life (recycling or disposal) Current activities for handheld batteries Govt. industry discussions on a national stewardship (brand owner funded) scheme Pilot projects to collect data / test feasibility of different models Batteryback (Melbourne) Power tool batteries (Brisbane) Emergency lighting batteries (Qld) Button & coin cells (NSW) 22 Battery Design Root Cause Battery voltage (>1.2V) hydrolyzes the saliva into Oxygen and Hydrogen. Oxygen reacts with the battery, generating hydroxyl compounds, raising the ph of the saliva within a few minutes. The highly corrosive saliva damages the esophageal tissue. Battery design Change the design of the battery itself or Add features to the battery Packaging Implement child resistant packaging Warning icons and labels 23 Key safety messages Know which products in your home have coin sized batteries and keep these products out of sight and reach of children is a secure container; Regularly check the screwed in battery compartments in toys and ensure other devices remain secure; When purchasing items that use coin sized button batteries, choose those with screw down battery compartments or other features that make it difficult for children to access the battery; Choose products that do not contain button batteries; Dispose of spent and unused batteries immediately and safely flat batteries are still dangerous; Store unused batteries in a locked cupboard out of sight and reach of children; If a child is suspected of swallowing a button battery or inserts one into their ear or nose, call Poisons Information Centre and/or take them immediately to a hospital emergency department and request a low radiation Xray; Warn others about the dangers of button batteries. In the event a child in your care does ingest a coin button battery, the symptoms may include coughing, drooling and discomfort or no symptoms at all. Kidsafe advises carers to not let the child eat or drink and to immediately take the child to an emergency room

5 Where to from here?