By JONATHON HOWARD
WHEN a 15-month-old toddler swallowed a button battery back in September, his Coolum mother, Teresa Pesic, feared her son would not survive to Christmas.
The frightening event took place on the morning of 29 September after the toddler, Sam Pesic, was playing in the lounge room when he put the battery in his mouth.
“This was quite normal for Sam – everything goes in his mouth. I didn’t worry too much, I just tried to get whatever it was out,” she said.
Things quickly escalated when Sam swallowed the object.
“He was coughing and trying to bring it up but was vomiting and gagging and we called the ambulance,” she said.
Teresa dialled triple-zero and an ambulance arrived shortly after.
Looking for clues on what Sam could have swallowed, the Queensland Ambulance Service paramedic noticed a calculator on the floor.
He opened the back and Teresa saw his face turn ashen – one of the batteries was missing.
Sam was whisked off to Nambour Hospital for an urgent X-ray, which confirmed their worst fears.
It was then the Sunshine Coast based RACQ CareFlight Rescue helicopter was urgently tasked.
CareFlight’s Critical Care Doctor, Lawrence Hindley, who was on the flight, had serious concerns for young Sam.
“Button batteries may seem benign, but they can be lethal for young children. A four-year-old girl in the region died last year after swallowing one,” he said.
Teresa, sick with worry for Sam, was comforted by the crew during the flight.
“I’d gone nine years without needing an ambulance for my boys and here I was heading to Brisbane in the back of a CareFlight helicopter,” she said.
CareFlight urgently airlifted Sam to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Sam was rushed into surgery and Teresa vividly remembers the relieved surgeon greeting her with the battery in hand.
“An overwhelming sense of relief washed over me. Everything was going to be fine,” she said.
Teresa said the experience brought home how dangerous everyday household items could be.
Since Sam’s ordeal, Teresa and her husband Scott have met with their saviours and they could not thank CareFlight enough.“We are extremely thankful to all involved in Sam’s care, especially RACQ CareFlight Rescue,” she said.
“I’m glad. But wow, we are happy to do anything we can do to support this wonderful lifesaving service.”
RACQ CareFlight Rescue would like to urge parents to be cautious, keep batteries out of reach of little hands and ensure the backs of toys and other household items that use any type of battery are securely taped up.
