Button batteries guide

Evie  00:00

The Wiggles acknowledge the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging.

Simon  00:19

Welcome to Wiggle Talk, a podcast for parents. I'm Simon Pryce. I'm a Wiggle, and I wear the color red. 

Lachy  00:25

Hello everybody, my name is Lachy, and I, too, am a Wiggle, and I wear the color purple.

Simon  00:31

Hello Lachy.

Lachy  00:31

Hello, Simon.

Simon  00:31

Great to see you.

Lachy  00:31

It's lovely to see you too. I am wearing purple today.

Simon  00:35

You wear purple a lot.

Lachy  00:37

Thank you.

Simon  00:37

I'm wearing a light blue.

Lachy  00:39

You know who bought me this jumper?

Simon  00:40

Ahhh no

Lachy  00:42

Captain Feathersword and the Tree of Wisdom, for my birthday.

Simon  00:45

Oh, really, what birthday was that?

Lachy  00:47

I think it was the big 4-0

Simon  00:48

Really?

Lachy  00:49

I think it was last year in America.

Simon  00:51

Yeah, it looks like an important present.

Lachy  00:54

Yes

Simon  00:55

Certain amount of value

Lachy  00:57

Yes,

Simon  00:57

for a big major…

Lachy  00:59

Thank you, Captain. Well, look, today's episode is a bit different, Simo, but before we get to that. I just wanted to tell you a story.

Simon  01:06

Okay

Lachy  01:07

Last week, I was on my way to the airport. Didn't have a lot of time.

Simon  01:11

No, well, you normally don't.

Lachy  01:13

No, it's quite rushed.

Simon  01:14

You rush out of here. You're in the car.

Lachy  01:15

Yes,

Simon  01:16

The M2, bumper to bumper.

Lachy  01:18

Yeah, as soon as you get to the tunnel. But I thought, being a good stepfather that I am, I wanted to buy Jasper a cricket bat.

Simon  01:24

Oh, he loves his cricket

Lachy  01:25

He does. And I thought it's time, his bat was a little small. So I stopped at the cricket center on the way to the airport.

Simon  01:30

I forgot that bats come in different sizes.

Lachy  01:32

They do.

Simon  01:33

Yeah, I remember that now.

Lachy  01:34

This is all a new learning curve. He was a size three, and I needed to get him a size four, and I knew I would be very close to missing my flight. But I'm like, “no, I can do it. I've got time,” stopped at the cricket center.

Simon  01:44

At the airport?

Lachy  01:45

No, this is just North Sydney. And then, found the bat, beautiful.

Simon  01:51

What sort of bat was it?

Lachy  01:52

It's a County, English, English willow, yeah County's still around. Yeah. I bought that. I bought a mallet to, did you remember matting your bats in?

Simon  01:52

Yeah you've got to bat them in, yeah

Lachy  01:58

All down the willow to get it ready to be hit by a cricket ball.

Simon  02:06

Then they had the other ones which had that sort of like fiberglassy service on them, where you didn't need to mallet them.

Lachy  02:11

Yeah, no, this was so I bought the mallet, bought the bat. He gave me a lovely slip to put the bat in, and then, literally, as my savings card went down to pay, I thought, I said out loud, “I can't take this on the plane. Can I?” I don't have any underneath luggage. I've just got carry on. I can't hold it with the mallet walking onto the plane. And he said, “no I don't think you can.” So then I drive to the airport trying to think, “How can I put my backpack under with the cricket bat sticking out of it,” but that would have got damaged before I'd knock, knocked it in.

Simon  02:42

You can buy some nail scissors while you're there.

Lachy  02:44

So I had to, I had to leave it here for the week, in Sydney.

Simon  02:49

Oh, you left it in your car.

Lachy  02:50

Left in the car. And then got a very big suitcase from Wiggles to take it home the next weekend. So he missed out on a week of…

Simon  02:57

But he has it now?

Lachy  02:59

He has it.

Simon  02:59

He's now size five.

Lachy  03:01

He didn't get many runs. It's gone- you know what's tricky too? This is the first year that they get out is out. It’s a very big…

Simon  03:09

Oh, what happens prior?

Lachy  03:11

They get 20 balls, and they can just do whatever.

Simon  03:13

Oh, you all just get a go.

Simon  03:14

Yep this is the first year, under 10s, if you're out, it's a tricky walk back for them. They all find it quite emotional. So that's a big that's a big learning curve for them.

Simon  03:20

Yeah. Do you find it emotional too?

Lachy  03:24

No, I'm ready there on the sidelines to support him. “Don't worry. That's okay. Next week.”

Simon  03:31

Yeah. You bat and bowl on the same day?

Lachy  03:34

Yeah, 25 overs each. Done in about three and a half hours.

Simon  03:38

Everyone always says, “Don't encourage your child to play cricket.” Just because of the hours.

Lachy  03:45

It is fun, 25 goes pretty quick.

Simon  03:48

Yeah, I loved it when I was little. I love cricket so much. But looking back, my parents didn't come very often, and now I know why.

Lachy  03:55

They dropped you. “Have a good game. See you at midday.”

Simon  04:00

Was Jasper okay that he didn't score many runs?

Lachy  04:03

No, no. He's found it hard, but a lot of the boys have, but it's just that I remember that it's a yucky feeling.

Simon  04:09

Do boys and girls playing the team together. Or is it from that age?

Lachy  04:12

Well, this is separate, yeah, okay, but yeah, that's a big lesson to learn in a sport like cricket where you just, you have one chance.

Simon  04:17

Yeah, and then you've, you've got three and a half hours to wait.

Lachy  04:20

Yep, and then you’ve got to wait till next week.

Simon  04:25

Does everybody get a bowl?

Lachy  04:32

Yeah, they have two overs each so they get through the whole team, which is really lovely. Jasper's got a quite good medium pace, actually,

Simon  04:34

Really, oh, he's learnt from the best.

Lachy  04:34

Anyway, should we get into it? Well, now you may have seen that The Wiggles have recently been responding to an issue with a yellow Emma style bow on a headband that was sold at Wiggles shows and elsewhere until a couple of years ago. Now, these bows used a button battery to light up.

Simon  04:52

In 2022, mandatory standards for testing and labeling products containing button batteries came into effect in Australia. Now, these bows had been made by one of our licensees before those standards were introduced. In fact, due to COVID, the COVID pandemic and many of our concerts being canceled, we had a surplus of stock. Now, regrettably, the products didn't have the required warning information related to the button batteries on them, which meant they didn't meet the mandatory standards, which we didn't pick up at the time, and we sold the headbands to customers without the required warning information as a result.

Lachy  05:31

Yeah, we have been moving away from the products containing button batteries, and this was one of the last products left in stock. Now, as always, children's safety and wellbeing is The Wiggles’ highest priority. So, following investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the ACCC, we have been taking a number of corrective steps. There is a recall for these bows, and if you have one, please head to thewiggles.com/recall for instructions on how to return it for a full refund.

Simon  06:00

We've also made an undertaking to the ACCC to take a number of further measures to make sure all Wiggles products are compliant with all requirements, and to help educate families about button battery safety and children's toy safety. And that's really what today's episode is about. We wanted to take this opportunity to have a broader conversation about button battery safety, children's toys and what parents need to know if something does go wrong.

Lachy  06:29

To help us do that, we are speaking to two experts. Firstly, we are talking to Rod Balding, CEO of Standards Australia, the organization that develops and updates standards for products, including certain toys and button batteries in Australia. Then we'll speak with Sarah Hunstead, Founding Director of CPR Kids, who help educate families about responding to children's illness and injury, about what steps to take in relation to potentially very serious risks that could be linked to toys or button batteries.

Simon  06:59

Hopefully by the end of this episode, you'll come away with a clear understanding of the requirements for children's products in Australia and what steps to take if anything does go wrong. So, let's get into it.

Lachy  07:19

Rod, thank you for joining us on Wiggle Talk this morning.

Rod Balding  07:22

No, thank you for having me.

Lachy  07:23

We've heard a lot more in recent years about the dangers of button batteries. So, for parents listening today, could you just explain why they're taken so seriously from a product safety point of view?

Rod Balding  07:33

Yeah, of course. And look button batteries, for something that looks so innocuous, can actually cause a significant amount of harm for all humans, but particularly children, particularly when they're ingested. There's a chemical reaction that can happen that can cause inside chemical burns, which is where a lot of the danger comes from. And those burns can actually lead to quite serious life-threatening injuries in the time of a couple of hours. And then there's a secondary risk, which is obviously around choking. So, between sort of the potential for internal damage and then obviously the choking risk, it is an area that we're hearing a lot more about, and one that parents are taking a lot more seriously as well.

Simon  08:11

So, what standards can be put in place then Rod with regards to the safety of button batteries in toys?

Rod Balding  08:18

So, what Standards try to do, particularly in this case, is to act as a bit of a frontline defense for parents. And so that's from all the way from the manufacturer of a product through to the packaging, through to warnings on the labels, through to providing advice as to how to respond if your child does accidentally ingest one of those batteries. And so, in terms of the product itself, there's some strong standards that talk about the need to have labels on that product which identify the risk associated with having a button battery involved in a product. Then I think the actual compartment of the button battery is a really, really important one for parents to take notice of from a standards perspective, making sure that that compartment is really secure and child-proof. We want to make sure that it's got screws, a child can't open it with one finger or one hand, it really is tamper proof, to make sure that there's not the accidental access of a button battery in a toy or a product for a child.

Simon  09:16

Yeah, okay.

Lachy  09:17

Button batteries are one example, but when it comes to children's toys, how do safety standards actually help protect the families?

Rod Balding  09:25

Look as you said, button battery is a key one, but standards are so much broader than just that one particular incident. So, safety standards are really broad, and they cover things like sharp edges, they cover things like structural design and strength of toys. You don't want a child leaning on something, thinking it's going to be safe, and then it falls and collapses underneath them. It also covers things like flammability of children's clothes all the way through to things like the very popular slime or those sorts of products that, if they're not up to standard, can have some actually quite dangerous chemicals in them, as well.

Simon  09:58

As parents now, we, you know, in my household, for example, a lot of stuff comes online and turns up at our front door from all over the world. What is it that we can look out for then to know that these products that we're buying have reached those safety standards?

Rod Balding  10:12

Yeah, so there's a couple of things. First of all, I'd say, use the parental intuition you have first and foremost. If you're picking up a product, and your gut tells you it doesn't quite feel safe, and as I said, there's that compartment that doesn't quite feel secure from a button perspective, or it looks like something being tampered with before, I would say definitely, either ask for a refund or throw it away. But when you're looking at the standard compliance itself, I'd be looking for things that come from reputable sellers, whether it's online or through a store itself, I'd be looking at the ACCC website to make sure that the products haven't been recalled, and I'd also be looking for specific callouts on packaging that talk about compliance with relevant safety standards, and also provide those warnings for parents around the potential risks associated with a toy or a product as well.

Lachy  11:01

How much attention should parents pay to things like labels and age guidance and battery security, just overall quality of the product?

Rod Balding  11:09

I think it's really important, and I think we're all time poor. And whilst I have a couple of boys that are a little bit older than Wiggle age now, I do remember that when they want that toy or they want that product, the last thing you want to be doing is sitting with them and trying to read the instructions and the safety warnings carefully. They want to have it in their hands and play with it. But it is really important given, I'll call it the increased level of gadget complexity features that toys have now, inherently, there is a little bit more increased risk in that. So, as a parent, just actually taking that time to read those safety warnings, understand what the potential risk is by actually giving that toy to your child and then making sure that that product is compliant with those safety requirements, I think it's a really, really smart investment of time.

Simon  11:54

And I guess it is up to us as parents too then if you've purchased a toy, whether it's online or in a store which you've got questions about, it's up to us then to report that, because that's how then everyone becomes aware that there are safety concerns around a certain product.

Rod Balding  12:11

Definitely, I think education and awareness is really important, particularly as you mentioned, given that we're getting more and more of these products online and from overseas as well. The best way to do that is through Product Safety Australia, which is a website run by the ACCC, where people can report products that they believe to be non-compliant or unsafe. And they can do that either anonymously or by giving their name. And the more information they can provide, the better. So that even goes to providing some photos of examples of where the parent thinks that there's an unsafe component or the packaging hasn't been appropriate in terms of warning or security of the button batteries or other potential risks. And then the ACCC acts quite quickly in terms of investigating those potential safety concerns, and if needed, will take the appropriate action to try and protect parents and children going forward.

Simon  13:03

I don't know if this is relatable. You know, because we buy things from all over the world now, and you buy a T-shirt, and a T-shirt has 18 different tags on it. Is that because it's trying to match safety standards in different countries all over the world? Like you used to get one tag on a T-shirt, now, it's like a little mini phone book attached to your shirt.

Rod Balding  13:21

It is and it's right in the place which itches you you, as well. First think you want to do is cut it off, right? But no, look, I think we have to try and find a balance, so you're spot on. There's a lot of information that's required to be given under standards at the moment, and that does lead to things like a lot more tags on products, including things like children or even adult clothing. As an industry, we need to try and move to finding the right balance between creating these really important technical standards but making them user-friendly for the people who have the product in their hand at the end of the day. And so, there may be a need to have those 18 tags sitting inside the shirt that you've bought, but I think there's probably an opportunity to say, okay, well, what's the really most important things around flammability of a child's piece of clothing, and how do we get that front and center on the packaging so a parent can actually make that informed assessment as to whether or not they want to purchase that product and whether it's fit for purpose in terms of where the child's looking to wear it as well?

Simon  14:17

Yeah, it's really interesting, Rod. I mean, safety is always our biggest concern for our children as parents and as the industry we're in. If there's one takeaway for parents within the whole standards and safety areas for children and toys and products, what would that be?

Rod Balding  14:33

I'm gonna give you two if that's okay. You asked for one, I'm going to give you two.

Simon  14:35

You can give us three if you'd like to.

Rod Balding  14:38

Now you're putting the pressure on. I think the first one would be, as I said, just take that time to read those warning labels on what you're purchasing. And look for those warning labels. I think it's as I said, I know everyone's time poor, and I know sometimes our children cannot wait to get their hands on the product out of the packaging, but just that little bit of investment in time upfront I think is a really, really good use of people's time from a safety perspective. The other thing I would say, and you mentioned it before, Simon, in terms of the amount of online shopping that people are doing now as well, there's a lot of, I'll call it very attractive price points out there online as well. Don't compromise safety for savings. And I know we're in a very tough cost of living environment at the moment, but I think just making that conscious decision to not compromise your child's safety for the sake of a little bit of saving is a bit of advice we're looking to give to people as well.

Simon  15:34

Oh, that's an excellent point.

Lachy  15:35

It's a really good point.

Simon  15:37

Because online, you'll see so many of the same product, and you think, what's the difference between and, oh, that one's cheapest, but quite possibly it's cheaper for a reason.

Rod Balding  15:47

Exactly, exactly.

Simon  15:48

Such important work, and it's great to talk to you, and I know it's really important for our audience to get a greater understanding of all the safety around our toys and the safety of our children. So, Rod, thanks for coming on Wiggle Talk.

Rod Balding  16:00

Many thanks again.

Simon  16:09

Well, now we're going to speak with Sarah Hunstead, Founding Director of CPR Kids. So, Sarah, welcome to Wiggle Talk.

Sarah Hunstead  16:17

Thank you for having me.

Lachy  16:18

We're talking today about button battery safety, because for a lot of parents, this is one of those risks that we've probably heard of, but don't know the full understanding of what can happen. So from a health perspective, can you just talk to us about why they're so dangerous?

Sarah Hunstead  16:31

Yeah, absolutely, and with our chat today as well, I just want to start with: this isn't about scaring anyone about, “oh my goodness you know, there's all these things in my home that can hurt my child.” It's not about that. It's about empowering everyone so they know what to do in an emergency. So, don't be scared. You know, it's a really positive conversation. Now, when it comes to button batteries, I think there's some obvious things that, as parents and carers, we might think of like “it's a choking hazard,” and around 20 kids every week present to emergency departments after some kind of button battery injury-related incident. So, it's something that's really, you know, reasonably common, but what we really worry about is when a child either swallows or inserts a button battery somewhere where they shouldn't. Because what happens is, is that even if a button battery is dead, so, you know, we've taken it out of, you know, the remote control, or whatever it is that we're in, and we think, “oh, well, that's not going to hurt anyone that's dead now,” when it comes in contact with saliva, if they've swallowed it or snot, if they've stuck it up their nose, it actually causes a charge. So basically, an electrical circuit occurs, and what happens is a chemical reaction, and that ends up burning wherever it is that that button battery has lodged. And the really worrying thing is that this can happen in a really short amount of time, that life-threatening injuries can happen in as little as two hours. And that's why we need to know what to do.

Simon  18:08

Wow and so then the important thing is, as a parent, if you've seen it happen, you need to act quickly, I guess is what the key to that is.

Sarah Hunstead  18:15

Yeah, exactly because even if we're unsure if a child has swallowed a button battery. If we just think, “oh, hang on a sec. I put that button battery that I was changing up on the kitchen bench and that's not there now,” or we find them and they've got, you know, that musical birthday card or the flameless candle that's got the button battery component open, we are absolutely going “okay, we're gonna need to get our child checked immediately, just in case this has happened,” because, as I said, within two hours, catastrophic life-threatening injuries can occur, so acting quick and knowing the first aid is what you need to do.

Simon  18:56

I haven't thought about those birthday cards or those candles. I mean, there are a lot of button batteries around that we might not necessarily be aware of. So, is it, it's important that as parents to understand where they are, and what products have them?

Sarah Hunstead  19:10

Yeah, absolutely. So, thinking about when you're buying something, have a look and see what's it powered by? One thing that we've often got in our house is a thermometer, so many of them are powered by button batteries. Have a look in your car keys. What about the remote controls that you know you change the telly with? Thinking about things like your mouse on your computer. You know what's that powered by? So it's about making sure that you know what you've got in your home that's powered by button batteries, including the toys, because they can be really common in kids' toys as well.

Lachy  19:46

Button batteries are one example, but more broadly, what are some of the toys or small products that are a risk and that can catch families off guard?

Sarah Hunstead  19:55

The good thing is, is that here in Australia, we've got mandatory standards when it comes to kids toys, particularly for ones under the age of three years. So that's a good thing, that helps us when we're choosing toys. But things slip through and often, we might give a child a toy that perhaps isn't for their age bracket, or kids are- they will go around they'll find stuff they shouldn't. They're going to go through your drawers, you know, through your desk, they're going to get things. And so, accidents do happen. So, thinking about things like magnets, for example, what can happen is, if the child swallows more than one magnet, they can actually come together, and that can erode through whatever body part it's in at the time. It might be the bowel, or, you know, the intestine. And so that's something that we need to think about, particularly those high-powered ones. They've actually been banned in Australia, but you still can get them, you know, they could be in those little desk toys or in jewelry. So, it really pays to be aware of these sorts of things. And anything that can fit through the inside of a toilet roll, a child can choke on, which is basically everything in your house, let's be honest. So, it's a really good thing that if you do have young kids, go around on your hands and knees, you're going to feel a little bit silly doing it. But go around on your hands and knees, look at your house from their perspective. What are those little things that you can find that might fit through that inside of the toilet roll, that little cardboard tube, and just move them out of the way. It's not forever, they grow up, but it's about just being aware of what's around, particularly if you've got older siblings there as well, who like to play with the little, teeny, tiny toys and leave them out for the little ones.

Simon  21:40

Yeah, I think we're probably quite diligent when our children are really little, and you know we cover our corners, we do all that, we pick everything up. And then as they get a bit older, we probably kind of lose that thought of the importance of it. But it's actually still incredibly dangerous at that age. Yeah.

Sarah Hunstead  21:56

By the time you've gone to the third kid, it's like, “Oh, let's see what happens to them,” but yeah, it does pay to put away the small stuff.

Simon  22:04

What are you looking out for? I guess, with your child, if you think maybe they've swallowed a button battery, or they've another part of the toy, or you realize that something's gone missing, do you look for signs with your children? Or go, you know what we're taking you in the car, and when you were going straight to emergency.

Sarah Hunstead  22:18

I wish this was just a black and white answer. I could say, look for this, and this is what you're going to do. But unfortunately, I can't do that, because sometimes you're not going to know, like, if your child has swallowed something, or maybe they have choked, that's pretty obvious, because you'll see them struggling, you'll hear that big cough, you'll be alerted to that. If they have any breathing difficulties, you're going to see that. But if they've swallowed something, you may not be aware of it and so that's why, if you suspect it, you need to take them to be checked out. If you are ever unsure, then what you can do is that you can ring, in Australia, we've got some fantastic help out there that's free. We've got Health Direct. We've got one 1800 Medicare. You can call those 24 hours a day, and that registered nurse at the end of the line is going to tell you what you need to do. So that's a great thing that we have that here, and it's free. So, if you are unsure, give them a call. You know, they're phone a friend, give them a call. But if it is an emergency, and this is where I’ll usually say, “trust your gut, you're going to know whether this is an emergency.” And I have people say to me, “you know, I get so anxious and I panic with this. How will I know to trust my gut?” Trust me you will. You will notice if your child is struggling to breathe, if they are changing color, if it is that emergency that needs that ambulance call triple zero, and they will take you to the nearest emergency department.

Lachy  24:02

And obviously, if you know that button battery has been swallowed, either ring triple zero or get to a hospital straightaway.

Sarah Hunstead  24:09

So, what you need to do specifically for button batteries is the Australian Resuscitation Council has actually just released some new guidelines for the first aid so, I would love to go through those step by step now, if that's okay?  If your child is having any difficulty breathing at all, or you're having trouble waking them up so they've lost consciousness, then you are calling triple zero immediately. Okay, so that's easy. But if you suspect, or you know that they have swallowed that button battery, then you are going to call Poisons Information on 13 11 26 so, that is the national poisons hotline. Put it in your phone, 13 11 26 so you've got it there for an emergency. And they will advise you what to do. Now, what they will probably tell you to do, and certainly, what the Australian Resuscitation Council tells you to do is to give your child honey, because two teaspoons of honey, so that's about 10 mL, what all the evidence shows is that that actually puts a coating around that button battery. So obviously, this is only if your child has swallowed a button battery, if they've stuck it under their eyelid or up their nose, then we're following what Poisons tell us to do. We're not pouring honey up their nose or anything like that. But we're going to do that every 10 minutes until either ambulance arrive or we arrive at the destination where Poisons has told us to go. And it coats that button battery, and it helps stop that burning process. There's a couple of things around that, though. Number one, if your child's under the age of 12 months, you shouldn't give them honey because there's risk of something called infant botulism. Jam works well. So if you can't give them honey, or you don't have any, use two teaspoons of jam. The good thing is, is to call Poisons first, because there are some times that we might not do that if your child is, for example, vomiting blood, which can happen if a button battery has been sitting there a while. And so, taking their advice is a great thing to do, and they'll also tell you where to take your child or whether to call an ambulance, because not all hospitals are equipped to quickly remove button batteries. They may actually tell you, depending on where you are, particularly if you're rural, exactly what you need to do. So, in a nutshell, if your child has breathing difficulties, call triple zero. If they're okay, but you suspect, or you know, that they have had a button battery ingestion, call Poisons Information on 13 11 26, follow their instruction, and the first aid is to give approximately 10 mL, that's two teaspoons of honey or jam every 10 minutes.

Simon  27:08

That's great advice. Now Lachy I'm going to test you. Yes. What's the Poisons hotline?

Lachy  27:13

13 11 26

Simon  27:14

Well done.

Sarah Hunstead  27:15

Well done, Lachy.

Simon  27:18

With regards to, we know we buy a lot of products online now, and we don't necessarily always know where they come from, and not just with button batteries, but products in general. As parents, what do we need to be looking out for just to make sure that these toys that we're buying are going to be safe for our children?

Sarah Hunstead  27:34

I'm sorry I'm laughing, as you said this, I'm just, I'm shaking my head, because it's not just the parents. I received, when my kids were little, I received a package from my Nan, and so, bless her, I opened it up and there was a toy clown inside. Now, number one, I was sure this clown was going to come alive at nighttime and I'd wake up and it would be staring at me. But, not just that, as I've taken it out of the package, the clown's head fell off. Now, mind you, my children are two and three at the time, and I've immediately thought, “okay, hang on this isn't safe.” The pediatric nurse in me has immediately gone “this is not safe at all.” But not only that, there was a 5 cm metal spike that was coming out of the clown's body that was holding the head on. So I'm like, “oh my goodness, thank goodness when I actually unwrapped this that I saw,” you know, because if one of the kids had have been playing with it, that could have been a terrible, terrible accident. So, going back to your question, make sure that you vet toys before they come into the house. Well-meaning, grandparents, aunts, uncles might have done a little, you know, online shopping from places where they may not have the mandatory standards that we do, or have gone to a shop that may have imported, you know that might not be following those standards. So. check the toys. Give them a good once over. And if you deem them to be safe and they're age-appropriate, then of course, do they have a battery compartment? And the battery compartment for when it's a toy, for kids under the age of three, it should have a mechanism that either requires a screw that keeps it down so you need to physically unscrew it to get to the battery compartment, or it's that movement that it takes two separate movements to open it. So essentially trying to make it child resistant with that. And so, where are you buying your toys from? Check them before they come in and of course, are they age appropriate?

Simon  29:46

And stay away from clowns.

Sarah Hunstead  29:48

Stay away from clowns, yes.

Simon  29:53

It reminded me now when Lauren, my wife, and I had Asher, who's five now, we did a whole CPR training and first aid course before Asher was born. But it's reminded me, we should actually do that again, just you know, as a safety thing for the home. Do you recommend, I mean, obviously, for all families to update and keep updated with the safety and CPR?

Sarah Hunstead  30:16

Absolutely, because that key to not panicking when something goes wrong is actually knowing what to do. And so, the more often that you do it, the more it becomes that muscle memory, and particularly if you do a pediatric specific one, where it's really focusing on the kids. If you're doing that, you know the CPR component, every year, the Australian Resuscitation Council recommends that you do the first aid component every three years. But obviously children grow there are different issues as they grow up as well. So, refreshing that memory and just being confident to go, “you know what? I probably will panic if my kid gets injured. I probably will, but on the outside, I'm going to be composed, I'm going to take action, and I'm going to know what to do. I'm going to get help when I need it.” That is so empowering, and then when everything's fine, that's when you fall apart later.

Simon  31:12

Yeah, that's right. We learned how, if Asher was a baby and with a choking hazard, what to do, but now, being a five year old, I actually wouldn't know what technique to use if we found ourselves in that situation now that he's older. So yeah, it's a very important thing to do.

Sarah Hunstead  31:27

And now is the best time to book into one of those classes. It's one of the things you think, “I've got to do it,” but life happens. Everything else comes up and you go, “yep, yep, I know I've got to do it.” But now's the best time. You won't regret three hours going and learning and knowing what to do in an emergency.

Lachy  31:43

This is so wonderful Sarah, have you just got, like, a few practical safety reminders that you'd like to leave the listeners with today? Just more in general?

Sarah Hunstead  31:53

Absolutely so first of all, your child will look to you in an emergency, so being able to stay calm, even if you are falling apart on the inside, is so important because you're the grown-up and they are looking to you, so know what to do. Secondly, there's so much help out there. You're not alone. You don't need to go onto Dr Google. We have these fantastic health advice lines here in Australia, 1800 Medicare, Health Direct jump online if you are ever unsure. And I guess the other thing is, too, is that, you know what, we can't wrap our kids up in cotton wool. They've got to get out there. They've got to explore the world. We just need to know how to patch them up afterwards.

Simon  32:42

Yeah, that's a really good point. Be prepared. 13 11 26. Sarah, that is so helpful. Thank you so much for your time today. It's a reminder for a lot of parents the importance of safety and what to do and the importance of not panicking. But the only reason why you won't panic is because you're prepared and you have an understanding of what to do in a given situation. Thank you for that reminder, Sarah, thank you for those wonderful, helpful tips, and thank you for coming on Wiggle Talk.

Sarah Hunstead  33:08

Thank you for letting me come on and talk about something that I love.

Simon  33:14

Thanks so much to Rod Balding from Standards Australia, and Sarah Hunstead from CPR Kids for joining us today. We hope this conversation has given you a clearer understanding of button battery safety, children's toy safety, and what to do if something goes wrong.

Lachy  33:30

And just a reminder again that there is a recall in place for the yellow Emma style light up bows that we mentioned at the start of the episode. If you have one of these, please head to thewiggles.com/recall for instructions on how to return it and to get a full refund.

Simon  33:46

We're also continuing to take steps to make sure Wiggles products meet all the right requirements and to help families better understand button battery and toy safety. So thanks for listening to Wiggle Talk.

Lachy  33:58

Bye bye.

Simon  33:59

It's a podcast for parents Lachy

Lachy  34:01

It is.

Simon  34:01

See you later everyone.

Lachy  34:08

Bye.