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What to do if…
someone may have swallowed a button battery and they seem fine so far

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Do not wait for symptoms. Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline or Poison Help immediately and seek urgent medical attention; ER assessment and an x-ray are commonly needed even when the person seems fine.

Do not do these things

  • Do not wait to see whether symptoms appear.
  • Do not induce vomiting.
  • Do not give food or drinks, except for the honey step below when it applies.
  • Do not give medicines, home remedies, or nose or ear drops unless a clinician tells you to.
  • Do not assume the battery is harmless because the person is acting normally.
  • Do not delay leaving to search the house for the missing battery.

What to do now

  1. Call for immediate guidance while arranging urgent medical attention.
    • Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline: 800-498-8666, or Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
    • If the person collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or cannot be awakened, call 911.
  2. Be ready to go to the ER immediately.
    • A button battery can cause serious injury before symptoms appear.
    • An x-ray is commonly needed to find the battery. Children aged 12 years or younger need an immediate x-ray. Many older people do too, especially when the battery size is unknown.
    • Follow the hotline specialist’s instructions.
  3. Give honey immediately and while going to the ER only when all of these apply.
    • The person is a child aged 12 months or older.
    • A lithium coin cell may have been swallowed. If the battery type is unknown, assume it may be lithium unless it is a hearing-aid battery.
    • The swallowing may have happened within the previous 12 hours.
    • The child is awake and able to swallow normally.
    • Honey is immediately available and giving it will not delay the journey.
    • Give 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of commercial honey if available by mouth every 10 minutes, up to 6 doses.
    • Do not give honey to an infant younger than 12 months.
  4. Other than honey when it applies, give nothing by mouth until an x-ray rules out a battery lodged in the esophagus or a clinician says it is safe.
  5. Gather useful information without delaying care.
    • If the person has no symptoms, take no more than five minutes to bring the device, packaging, product instructions, or a matching spare battery if these are easy to find.
    • Note the approximate time the battery may have gone missing if you know it.
  6. Mention any chance that the battery is in the nose or an ear.
    • Do not probe at home.
    • Do not use nose or ear drops before medical assessment.

What can wait

  • You do not need to prove that the battery was swallowed before seeking help.
  • You do not need to identify the exact battery size or type before calling or leaving.
  • You do not need to check stools or decide what monitoring may be needed later.

Important reassurance

Someone can look completely fine at first. Seeking help now is appropriate because it gives clinicians the chance to locate the battery and act quickly if needed.

Scope note

These are first steps only. The ER team and hotline specialist can advise what assessment, imaging, removal, or later monitoring may be needed.

Important note

This is general information, not medical or professional advice. If a button battery may have been swallowed, seek urgent medical attention and use hotline support immediately.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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