Energizer has released a new line of lithium-ion batteries that’s being billed as the world’s only coin battery to prevent burning if swallowed. With the rise of these batteries in devices like AirTags and TV remotes, that news will likely come as a relief for parents.
Each year, more than 2,500 kids in the U.S. swallow lithium-ion batteries, something that can burn the child’s esophagus and cause life-threatening injuries in as little as two hours. Dozens of kids have died in recent years from swallowing coin batteries, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The new battery line from Energizer is called Ultimate Child Shield, and it comes with several safety features. For starters, it has a non-toxic bitter coating to hopefully make the child not want to swallow the battery in the first place. The battery also comes in child-resistant packaging.
But the most important feature prevents burning when a child swallows the battery. The Verge, which was the first to report on these new batteries, notes that these coin batteries can cause tissue burning rather quickly when they come in contact with saliva. How these new batteries work from a technical perspective hasn’t been publicly divulged, and Energizer didn’t immediately respond to emailed questions on Wednesday.
The battery also includes what Energizer calls Color Alert technology, which dyes the child’s mouth blue when it comes in contact with saliva. The idea is that anyone who’s looking after a child will know when they’ve swallowed a battery, something that isn’t always obvious.
Energizer has included a video on its website from Trista Hamsmith, the founder of a group called Reese’s Purpose. Hamsmith started the group after her daughter swallowed a battery and died. She tells the story of how she “thought it was a cold” when her child wasn’t feeling well. But it turned out her kid had swallowed a battery, creating a hole between her esophagus and her trachea.
“We now know that burning continues to take place for days after ingestion, and after removal,” said Hamsmith.
Hamsmith’s daughter was treated for about two months but ultimately died from her injuries.
The new batteries are available in three sizes as of this week, including 2032, 2025, and 2016.
“With 20mm coin lithium batteries powering more of our devices, it’s crucial we remove the danger of ingestion burns if one of those batteries is swallowed by a child,” Lori Shambro, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer at Energizer, said in a press release.
“Energizer Ultimate Child Shield does exactly that—it’s a revolutionary technology that eliminates the risk of ingestion burns.”
