BOY DIAGNOSED WITH HEAT RASH FROM LAPTOP USE, DOCTORS WARN

Medical professionals have warned of a rise in children developing skin reactions from resting electronic devices against bare skin. A pre-teen boy was diagnosed with erythema ab igne (EAI), also known as toasted skin syndrome, after keeping a laptop on his stomach for up to eight hours daily whilst it was charging. EAI causes a net-like rash through prolonged exposure to low-level heat and has traditionally been seen in adults using hot water bottles or heating pads.

The boy initially presented to a children's emergency department with what appeared to be unexplained bruising. Initial scans and blood tests proved normal, and he was discharged without a diagnosis. Two weeks later he returned as the rash worsened, became tender and began peeling. Further questioning by medical staff revealed he was being home-schooled and resting his laptop on his stomach during learning sessions. Dr Mara Znagoveanu of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, who documented the case in BMJ Case Reports, stated that EAI may be overlooked in children because the heat source is less obvious than traditional sources such as hot water bottles.

Dr Znagoveanu noted that increased use of electronic devices, particularly during home schooling, has emerged as an under-recognised cause of EAI in children. The condition is usually reversible, with the rash improving over weeks to months once the heat source is removed, though some cases result in persistent darkening of the skin. According to the doctor, no formal paediatric guidelines for EAI currently exist, and diagnosis remains based on clinical assessment and characteristic findings. The boy's father reported during a later phone consultation that the rash had eventually disappeared.