Product recall: Parents warned about Baby Shark Hand Wash risk

The Baby Shark Hand Wash product sold by Postie has been recalled due to the risk of button batteries being exposed to young children. Photo / MBIE

Parents are being warned to return bottles of Baby Shark Hand Wash children's soap due to the risk of it breaking open and exposing a small button battery inside.

Button batteries can seriously injure or cause death in young children if swallowed.

The tiny disc-shaped batteries are small enough to swallow or fit up a toddler's nostril.

The risk has led the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to post a recall notice for the Baby Shark Hand Wash on its website and in the Herald newspaper warning of the risks.

The recall notice said the hand wash's plastic lid can fall off, "exposing the device that plays the 'Baby Shark' song and allowing access to button batteries".

"Ingestion of button batteries by young children can cause internal burns, which may lead to serious injuries or death".

"If swallowed, immediate medical attention should be sought.

Parent are asked to please stop using their Baby Shark Hand Wash immediately and return it to their nearest Postie store for a refund.

Postie has stores at Onehunga Mall, Sylvia Park Shopping Centre, 120 Queen St in Panmure and Glenfield Mall.

The company can also be contacted by visiting the contact page on its website.

The Herald has sought comment from Postie.

Devon Hacche swallowed a button battery in 2014 and suffered terrible injuries. Photo / Supplied

It comes as the Government warned in February 2018 that is was considering bringing in laws requiring button batteries to be made safe if the number of children landing in Starship hospital after swallowing one didn't decline.

A report at the time said 20 children a year were ending up in Starship Children's Hospital after ingesting the batteries.

Once swallowed a button battery quickly causes serious tissue damage and can create permanent injury within four hours.

It can leak acid when swallowed, causing irreversible damage to surrounding tissue.

In worst case scenarios, like that of Tauranga toddler Devon Hacche, serious burns to the inside of a child's throat can need multiple surgeries and make it likely the child will never eat normally.