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

Short answer

Do not wait for symptoms: call Poison Control/National Battery Ingestion Hotline immediately and go to an ER now for urgent evaluation (often an x-ray), even if they seem fine.

Do not do these things

Do not “wait and see.”
Do not induce vomiting.
Do not give food or drinks (other than the honey step below if it applies).
Do not give medicines or home “neutralizers” unless Poison Control/ER tells you to.
Do not assume it’s harmless because they’re acting normal.
Do not delay leaving to search the house for the missing battery.

What to do now

Start help right now (while you’re getting ready to leave).
- Call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline: 800-498-8666, or Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222.
- If they collapse, have a seizure, have trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened: call 911.
Go to the ER now. Button batteries can cause severe injury even without early symptoms, and the ER can confirm location (often by x-ray) and act quickly if it’s stuck.
If this is a child age 12 months or older, and you’re within 12 hours of a possible swallowing, give honey while going to the ER (only if it won’t delay you).
- Give 10 mL (2 teaspoons) of commercial honey if available by mouth every 10 minutes, up to 6 doses.
- Only do this if the child is awake and able to swallow normally.
- Do not give honey to infants under 12 months.
- Skip honey if they’re choking, vomiting repeatedly, very drowsy, or have a known serious honey allergy risk—just go.
Other than honey (if used), keep nothing by mouth unless Poison Control/ER tells you otherwise.
Bring the evidence. Take the device the battery came from, the packaging, and any matching/spare battery. If you can, note the time it went missing.
Mention other likely locations if relevant. Especially for small children, tell the ER if there’s any chance it’s in the nose or an ear (don’t probe at home).

What can wait

You do not need to prove it happened before seeking care—uncertainty is enough.
You do not need to figure out the exact battery size/type before leaving (bring what you have).
You do not need to check stools or “watch overnight” as a first step.

Important reassurance

It’s very common for someone to look completely fine at first. Acting quickly isn’t overreacting here—it’s how you prevent serious harm in the small number of cases where the battery gets stuck.

Scope note

These are first steps to get rapid expert guidance and urgent assessment. The ER/Poison Control will advise what imaging and monitoring is needed next.

Important note

This is general information, not medical advice. If a button battery might have been swallowed, seek urgent medical evaluation and use Poison Control/hotline support right away.

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