When is National Button Battery Awareness Day? This day will take place on June 12 of each calendar year.
What is National Button Battery Awareness Day? National Button Battery Awareness Day was created by a mom who lost her 18 month old to the damage caused by a button battery. The purpose is to raise awareness of the devastating impact of these hidden hazards that are used to power countless devices in our homes, schools and offices. Too many products containing button batteries do not have secure closures keeping the dangerous battery safely inside, but loose/ill fitting covers that often fall off when an item is dropped, allowing the battery to fall out, or can be easily opened. Curious children (and pets) may then find the battery and swallow it. Within minutes of ingestion, damage can occur, burning the esophagus and/or trachea and causing damage that requires surgeries, mechanical ventilation, feeding tubes, and can even result in death. Oftentimes it is a young child or animal who can not tell you they swallowed a battery—it is not identified until it is too late and irreversible damage is done. It is our intention to bring awareness to the hidden dangers of button batteries, and the importance of manufacturing laws to only allow the sale of products with secure battery compartments, as well as encourage the development of a safer battery that will prevent the damage occurred in the event of accidental ingestion.
Why is this day being celebrated or observed? National Button Battery Awareness Day is created in honor of the 60+ children in the United States who have died due to accidental button battery ingestion and the thousands of others who survived, but face a lifetime of medical issues related to damage caused by ingestion.
How should this day be celebrated or observed?
- CHECK YOUR HOMES for products that contain button batteries. If you find an item that does not have a screw closure (or a two motion closure) on the battery compartment, secure it with tape. (Especially check remote controls, key fobs, and kitchen scales—item not intended for children are often the greatest risk because current laws do not require secure closures on these types of items). Ensure any spare batteries are well out of reach of children. In the event you need to replace a battery, wrap your battery in tape before disposing of it to prevent a child or animal from finding it and being able to ingest it.
- Honor the children that have been lost or forever changed by this preventable tragedy. Read their stories and tell others : www.reesespurpose.org, fb: remembering nugget
- Donate to families in need. www.reesespurpose.org
- Encourage your family (grandparents, aunts/uncles), friends and schools/daycares to check their environment for unsafe products as well.
- Sign our petitions demanding Button Battery Safety:
https://www.change.org/p/keep-kids-safe-pass-button-battery-legislation-now
https://www.change.org/p/don-t-let-another-child-be-harmed-by-unsafe-products-demand-button-battery-legislation
- Demand change. Write, call or tweet your elected representatives that you want Button Battery Safety Laws.
Who created this day? This day was created in April 2021 by Trista Hamsmith.