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Pediatric battery-related emergency department visits in the United States, 1990-2009

Samantha J Sharpe1, Lynne M Rochette, Gary A Smith

  • 1Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Dr, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.

Pediatrics
|May 16, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Battery-related emergency department (ED) visits among children increased significantly from 1990-2009. These findings highlight the urgent need for enhanced prevention strategies to protect children from battery hazards.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Public Health Surveillance
  • Injury Prevention

Background:

  • Battery-related injuries represent a significant public health concern among children.
  • Previous research indicates a need for updated epidemiological data on these incidents.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the epidemiology of battery-related emergency department (ED) visits in children under 18 years in the United States.
  • To identify trends, common exposure routes, and battery types associated with pediatric ED visits.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) for a nationally representative sample of US ED visits from 1990 to 2009.
  • Categorized battery exposures into ingestion, mouth, ear canal, and nasal cavity insertion based on diagnosis codes and case narratives.

Main Results:

  • An estimated 65,788 pediatric ED visits occurred due to battery exposure over 20 years, with an increasing trend.
  • Battery ingestion was the most common exposure route (76.6%), with button batteries implicated in most cases (83.8%).
  • The average annual visit rate was 4.6 per 100,000 children, with a mean age of 3.9 years; 60.2% of patients were male.

Conclusions:

  • Battery ingestions and insertions pose a substantial risk to children, particularly those aged 5 years and younger.
  • The rising incidence of battery-related ED visits necessitates intensified public health interventions and prevention efforts.
  • Most children were treated and released, but the overall trend underscores the severity of the hazard.
Abstract

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