Tiny Batteries a Big Menace For Kids [AUDIO]

Button batteries that power some remotes, flame-less candles, watches, and hearing aids can be a major household hazard to young children because the little power cells can be swallowed and wreck havoc with their insides.

Three thousand children are hurt annually in the U.S. according to Safe Kids Worldwide.

"When kids put a button battery in their mouth, that battery can get lodged in a child's esophagus," said Kate Carr, president and chief executive of Safe Kids Worldwide.

The batteries react chemically with the child's insides and cause severe burns and internal damage.

And parents aren't the only ones that should be concerned.  "You might have a young kid coming to visit you this summer, so be extra careful around kids under the age of four when it comes to button batteries in your home," said Carr.

According to the National Capital Poison Center, serious button battery injury cases more than quadrupled in the last decade.

In order to keep kids safe, Carr recommended putting duct tape over any gadget with a button battery to make it extra hard for a kid to extract it. In addition, button battery powered devices should be out of sight and reach of children and loose batteries should be safely.