A technology-obsessed society can have as much of a negative impact as it does a positive one. For instance, robots rising against us Terminator style, or computer-controlled houses taking us hostage like in Demon Seed - or, apparently, kids accidentally eating batteries.
That's right, according to a new report put out by the medical journal Pediatrics, kids swallowing small batteries is becoming a pretty big issue, as the number of cases being seen in ERs has practically doubled in the past twenty years. It poses as especially big risk for smaller children, as the battery can become lodged in the airway and leak chemicals into the child's system, burn a hole through their esophagus, or worse. "The increase we’re seeing is a call to action," lead author of the study, Dr. Gary Smith, commented. "I’ve treated many of these children, and when it happens, it’s absolutely horrifying."
[via New York Daily News]
