National Button Battery Awareness Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Button Batteries

National Button Battery Awareness Day is observed annually on June 12 in remembrance of 18-month-old Reese Hamsmith of Lubbock, Texas, who perished tragically after ingesting a button battery. Baby Reese did not survive despite being brought to the hospital and undergoing surgery, as the button battery had already caused too much damage. Prior to the incident, few people were aware of the hazards of button batteries, a common household item. The purpose of National Button Battery Awareness Day is to raise awareness in the hopes that no other family will have to endure what Reese’s did.

The background of National Button Battery Awareness Day

This day was established in April 2021 by Trista Hamsmith, whose 18-month-old daughter Reese passed away. Reese had ingested a button battery, and although the physicians performed surgery to remove it, it only partially resolved the issue. Dr. Thomas McGill, the University Medical Centre surgeon who initially rescued Reese by removing the battery, stated that these batteries are dead and have a positive and negative side. As soon as they enter the oesophagus, they begin to generate electricity, resulting in an electrical injury.

Several health organisations presented demonstrations by sandwiching a button battery between two slices of gammon. In just half an hour, you can observe it commence to consume the ham. Trista stated that her daughter’s oesophagus had been damaged by the battery, causing air and food to enter unintended areas. She also stated that the resulting cavity was a sizable one. Surgeons at the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston attempted to repair this wound, but it was too late. Six weeks after the battery was removed, Reese passed away. Trista would have described the situation as a living nightmare if not for the support of her friends, family, and acquaintances back home.

When the unfortunate story went viral, however, some individuals held the Hamsmiths accountable for their carelessness. This is when Trista realised she needed to speak out in order to educate parents and save other children from the same fate. She stated that it is not necessary to constantly monitor your child because these occurrences can occur extremely quickly. She devised the day so that more parents would be aware of the dangers posed by button batteries.

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5 IMPORTANT FACTS REGARDING BUTTON BATTERIES

The battery reacts with bodily fluids, such as mucus or saliva, to produce a circuit that can discharge an alkali capable of destroying human tissue.

An average of over 3,000 paediatric button battery ingestions are reported annually in the United States, and the incidence of severe and fatal outcomes is rising.

Children under the age of five are most susceptible to ingesting button batteries.

Many instances of button battery ingestion are treated slowly because they are frequently misdiagnosed.

Numerous organisations advocate for the incorporation of button battery removal in medical school curricula.

NATIONAL BUTTON BATTERY AWARENESS DAY DATES

Year	Date	Day
2023	June 12	Monday
2024	June 12	Wednesday
2025	June 12	Thursday
2026	June 12	Friday
2027	June 12	Saturday