3-year-old fights to recover after swallowing battery

(FOX 2) - A young boy is recovering after swallowing a button battery Thursday which sent the 3-year-old to the ICU.

The Williams family had the scare of their lives when Emmett swallowed a button battery, his dad was the first to realize something was wrong.

"And he said that Emmett was pacing the floor, he was kind of cradling the lower part of his chest, upper stomach," said mom Andrea Williams. "And he's also non-verbal, so he was just kind of insinuating discomfort and whining."

And that made dad uncomfortable. He called 911. Emmett was rushed to a hospital in Monroe, then to Mott's Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, where surgeons removed the battery which was lodged perfectly in the boy's throat.

"They are trying to determine if his esophagus is damaged enough that it's affected his aorta vessel," Andrea said.

That would spell more trouble Emmett underwent heart surgery as a newborn. The battery corroded inside the boy's throat, possibly sending shockwaves throughout his body.

"There's potential chance his esophagus can tighten and close down and develop strictures," Andrea said. "He could end up with vocal cord damage. The worst case scenario, they said he might need a feeding tube or trach tube put in."

Emmett's mom Andrea, says neither she, her husband or their two other sons know where the battery came from. She's reminding parents to trust their gut if they suspect their kids may be sick. 

"There's never a dumb question or a wrong question or being that helicopter parent. sometimes that really quick judgment to call 911 or get them to the hospital can save their life," Andrea said. "And that's exactly what they said, if it would have stayed in any longer, it could've killed him."

The Williams family says they cannot thank the doctors and staffers at Mott Children's Hospital enough.

The Williams family has also been getting a lot of support and even some donations from friends, family and strangers. 

Andrea says since they are willing to do something for them, then she can try to give back too. She owns a crocheting business and his raffling off one of her creations-a handmade blanket.

If you are interested, CLICK HERE to go to the Wickedly Handmade Facebook page.