Recalls are a dime a dozen these days, but some are more serious (and worth paying attention to) than others. Las week’s recall of two Chuck E. Cheese toys is one of those worth your time.
Chuck E. Cheese recalled two toys — a set of star-shaped eyeglasses and a ring that lights up — because the plastic casing can break, exposing the battery. Though only two incidents had been reported, neither resulting in an injury, battery ingestion risks are no joke.
A study just last spring found that injuries involving batteries have are up sharply. The results can include burns and other internal injuries to kids’ gastrointestinal systems.
In more than 60 percent of the cases the study examined, the battery had come from a product, and small disc batteries, like those found in many cheap toys, are the worst offenders. They are easier to swallow, and kids can mistake them for candy.
It takes less than two hours for batteries to do serious damage to kids’ systems, including damage to the esophagus, stomach lining and vocal chords.
If you suspect your child has ingested a battery, go the emergency room immediately. An X-ray can confirm, and if the battery is removed quickly enough, chances of serious injury are low.
