MTV Former "Teen Mom" star Chelsea Houska posted a new photo to Instagram with her son, 5-year-old Watson.
Former “Teen Mom” star Chelsea Houska faced some backlash after she posted a new ad on Instagram. She partnered with Duracell to promote their lithium coin battery and told her 6.6 million Instagram followers her mind was “a little more at ease” about the possible choking hazard.
Not everyone on social media was convinced, and some of the top responses under her post were from people who were concerned.
Houska held her son, 5-year-old Watson, on her lap and gave him a kiss on the cheek. A Christmas tree with delicate ornaments and white lights shines in the background. She held up a package of Duracell batteries in her left hand.
Houska started off the post by saying how much she loves the holidays. “Christmas and decorating for Christmas is literally my favorite,” she wrote in the since-deleted post. “I love the lights, the faux flame candles, the decorations. Since becoming a parent I have been very aware of the batteries that go into these devices.”
In the second part of her post, Houska talked about how Duracell made their lithium coin batteries safer.
“They are small coin batteries that are a choking hazard if your child tries to put them in their mouth,” she explained. “So I felt a sense of relief with I learned @duracell made a Lithium Coin Battery with child secure packaging and a bitter coating, so that if one of the kids did get a hold of it and put the battery in their mouth, it would help discourage them from swallowing.”
Houska finished the promotion by saying she feels safe using the item and told her followers how they can learn more about lithium coin batteries.
“I love that Duracell makes these because it puts my mind a little more at ease (as much of ease
it can be at as a mother of 4!),” she said. “Look for the bitter face icon on the Duracell packaging and be sure to take the Duracell Power Safely Check Quiz to learn more about lithium coin battery safety.”
Fans Weren’t Convinced by Houska’s Post
All of the top comments under Houska’s Instagram post were from people who were dubious about Duracell’s safety.
“Not even just a choking hazard, but a severe mortality threat,” says the top response.
Other people asked Houska to become more informed on the item she was hawking.
“I’ve always been a massive fan but please do some research and think again about being paid to advertise these deadly items,” they said.
A third person warned that choking wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. “It’s worse than a ‘choking hazard’. These will literally burn a hole in your child from the inside out,” they alleged.
Heavy reached out to Houska’s rep for comment on the situation but did not receive a response.
Lithium Batteries Can Be Dangerous
Houska said that the “bitter coating” on the batteries would potentially discourage children from swallowing them. But she didn’t say anything about what would happen if the battery was swallowed.
On Duracell’s safety quiz, they warned that “serious damage” can occur if a battery gets lodged in a child’s throat.
“A lithium coin battery can get lodged in your child’s esophagus and burn through the surrounding tissue in as little as two hours, causing serious damage,” they write. “If you suspect that your child has ingested a lithium coin battery, act fast.”
According to poison control, a battery that’s been lodged in a child’s throat for more than two hours can lead to “surgery, months with feeding and breathing tubes, and even death.”