Toddler 'lucky to be alive' after acid from battery she swallowed burnt hole in her lung

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Sophie (left) has made a full recovery, much to mother Clare's (right) relief Credit: SWNS

A toddler who spent six days on life support after acid from a battery she swallowed burnt a hole in her lung has fully recovered.

Two-year-old Sophie Skill from Sheffield spent about eight weeks in hospital, three of them in intensive care, after she swallowed a penny-sized lithium battery.

Her mother Clare rushed her to Sheffield Children's Hospital after she found her crying in the front room, and within two hours Sophie was in surgery.

"I had no idea she had swallowed a battery, I knew she had swallowed something because she was holding the back of her neck as if something was stuck, but I didn't see anything go into her mouth," Mrs Skill said.

"It wasn't until we got to hospital we found out what it was.

"As soon as we got to hospital they did an x-ray, about 10 minutes after we got there, and that's when we realised."

Sophie spent six weeks in hospital Credit: SWNS

Surgeons removed the battery was removed from Sophie's food pipe, but because the inflamed area around her throat had swollen over, a hole caused by corrosive caustic acid went undetected.

But when nurses noticed Sophie was not recovering properly from the operation a second x-ray showed the hole in her throat was beginning to show signs of infection.

Doctors also discovered that acid from the battery had burned a whole in Sophie's lung.

Clare said: "I was just so scared, thinking the worst.

"After a week, she had a CT scan and it showed the hole wasn't healing and was in fact getting bigger because the acid was continuing to corrode her oesophagus."

Sophie was sent to theatre again where surgeon Sean Marven fitted a special 'T' tube from the hole to her stomach to drain fluid out of her body.

Tissue was taken from Sophie's side and put around the hole to allow it to heal.

Miraculously Sophie has suffered no lasting damage Credit: SWNS

Sophie was discharged last year and, although she now has to take an alkaline tablet each day, miraculously there is no lasting damage.

Clare said: "She is fantastic now, running around like nothing ever happened.

"She is a really happy little girl, and is looking forward to celebrating her third birthday next month."

The relieved family is raising money for The Children's Hospital Charity.

Sophie's father Wayne said: "By fundraising we want to help in any way we can, to repay them for what they have done for Sophie.

"Because if it wasn't for them she wouldn't be here."