Pas-de-Calais. A two-year-old dies after swallowing a pile of a "hand spinner"

A two-year-old boy died Sunday at the Lille Hospital Center, after swallowing a lithium battery of his "hand spinner".

A two-year-old boy from Polincove, near Calais, Pas-de-Calais, died Sunday after swallowing a lithium battery of a child's toy called "hand spinner" at the end of August. we learned Wednesday from concordant sources.

"This child was transferred" three weeks ago "to the Lille Hospital Center from the Calais Hospital, where he was operated by the pediatric medical teams for several hours. Unfortunately, this child died Sunday, " said the hospital.

The battery "detected in the esophagus"

At the end of August, this little boy had swallowed a lithium battery: "We were at a friend's house. His children were playing with hand spinners , these small tops that have had a blazing success among young people, said the father of the child in the daily Nord Littoral. Three days later, "he had trouble breathing. We took him to the emergency room of the Calais hospital. The battery has been detected in the esophagus, " he added.

"It's an unspeakable drama. Parents really want everyone to be aware of the dangers of this type of lithium battery, " said Polincove Mayor Thierry Rouzé.

In 2017, toys led the list of dangerous products reported in the EU, according to a report from the European Commission published in March. The dangers associated with certain models of "hand spinners" had particularly been highlighted.

Without giving any figures, the Commission pointed out that "checks on samples had quickly revealed problems," particularly related to small button cells that allow router models to turn on. If ingested, they can "cause burning of the esophagus and intestines," the report said.

In July 2017, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl had to undergo countless surgeries after swallowing a lithium coin cell. She died suddenly after a year of ordeal.