Battery-operated toys pose risks to kids

Colombo, May 10 - Battery operated toys sold in the market are harmful to children, Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) Assistant Secretary Dr. Palitha Rajapaksa said.

Since these toys contain lithium, silver oxide and alkaline button batteries, children can swallow them, put them in their ears or noses, and if children swallow these batteries, it can even be fatal to the child through the electrochemical activities.

The first part of the alimentary canal (the esophagus) is naturally narrow, and the maximum damage can occur when these are swallowed, and the submerged battery can travel to the stomach and cause severe damage, Dr. Rajapaksa said.

He also said that even the stomach can be fatally damaged through this, and even life can be lost due to the blockage of the respiratory tract.

He further said that when a small child is involved in such an accident, the child should be brought to a hospital as soon as possible, and until then, two teaspoons of pure honey should be given to the child every 10 minutes as first aid.