Paramedics on the Sunshine Coast sent 64 small children off for X-rays after a childcare centre found a broken toy in the playground area with its button batteries missing.
Staff at the childcare centre, which was not identified, called authorities after making the find on Wednesday morning.
They did not know how many batteries were missing, or whether any had been swallowed, as they believed the broken product was brought in by a child.
The head of Australia’s consumer watchdog Rod Sims has pointed out the dangers posed by button batteries.Credit: Wolter Peeters
The children taken for X-rays were aged between two and five years, and included every child who had been in the playground area over an extended period.
Four batteries were found through a metal detector sweep organised by the centre.
Speaking on Thursday afternoon, Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor James Mayfield applauded the prompt action taken by the childcare centre.
“We liaised with our medical director [and] had discussions with him through FaceTime to identify the product which was left there,” he said.
“A decision was made that all children involved who could have been exposed to the hazard needed to have an assessment and an X-ray performed.”
He said 60 children were examined in Sunshine Coast hospital and health service facilities, and two at private GP clinics, as QAS liaised with local medical centres to reduce strain on services.
Dozens of children X-rayed after button batteries lost at childcare centre
