Toddler battery Christmas warning

Parents are being warned to take extra care over Christmas to stop toddlers swallowing button batteries often found inside toys and gifts.

Around 20 children are admitted to emergency departments each week after swallowing small batteries, Australian statistics estimate.

Paramedics are urging mums and dads to be vigilant over the holidays as they are commonly found in Christmas gifts.

"Small lithium-type button batteries are found in an array of household electronic items such as bathroom scales, calculators, car keys and remote controls, and in gifts that kids commonly receive for Christmas," Cairns and Hinterland Assistant Commissioner Michelle Baxter said.

"These include toys, musical greeting cards, talking books, reading lights, hand-held video games, flashing pens and shoes, watches and electrical toothbrushes."

She said battery compartments should be checked to make sure they can't be opened or broken easily.

"If a button battery becomes lodged in a child's throat, it can burn the oesophagus or vocal cords within two hours and cause permanent internal damage, or even death," she added.

Anyone who suspects a child has swallowed a battery should call triple-zero immediately.