if statement for id won't work

[purencool]

Hi phpfreaks

 

can anyone tell why this if statement won't work? all I want it to do is read the id and the contents inside the td that is called altSwitch and then if it equals 0 then change it to

a On

 

<td>Alt</td><td id="altSwitch">0</td>

I have tried this
<script type="text/javascript">
                                       if (document.getElementById("altSwitch").element.nodeValue=="0"){
                                       document.getElementById("altSwitch").innerHTML="On";}
</script>

and this
<script type="text/javascript">
                                       if (document.getElementById("altSwitch").element.innerHtml=="0"){
                                       document.getElementById("altSwitch").innerHTML="On";}
</script>

[brianlange]

use firstChild in place of where you have element

 

document.getElementById("altSwitch").firstChild.nodeValue=="0"