Urgent X‐Rays in Children With Unexplained Haematemesis Help Rule Out Button Battery Ingestion

Aim: The ingestion of foreign bodies, particularly button batteries, is a significant concern in paediatric care, especially in chil- dren under 4 years of age. This study aims to review unwitnessed button battery ingestion in infants and toddlers, considering the serious complications and the higher risk in children under 2 years old. Method: A literature review was conducted on studies published between 1983 and 2025 using the terms ‘disk battery’, ‘button battery’, ‘ingestion’, and ‘unwitnessed’. Fifteen studies were included, reporting a total of 41 cases of unwitnessed button battery ingestion. Results: The median age of patients was 18 months. Common symptoms included dysphagia, vomiting, fever, drooling and he- matemesis. The average time to presentation at the emergency department was 72 h. Diagnostic delays were often due to initial misidentification of the battery as a coin. Radiographic imaging of the chest and abdomen identified the battery in 92% of cases, highlighting the diagnostic value of X-­ rays. Conclusion: Prompt chest and abdominal X-­ rays are recommended for children under 4 years presenting with unexplained he- matemesis to rapidly identify button battery ingestion, minimise diagnostic delays and improve clinical outcomes.