Many of us – especially those prone to period or chronic pain – will have experienced that familiar mottled rash from using a hot water bottle on repeat.
But when a tween boy began to experience a similar mark on his abdomen, without the use of hot water bottles or heated pads, doctors were perplexed.
The rash was accompanied by bruising, which he’d had for a week – and neither the boy nor his parents could think of a likely trigger, according to the online journal BMJ Case Reports
He was initially suspected of having a liver injury, but his blood test results and abdominal scans came back normal and he was discharged.
Two weeks later, the boy turned up at hospital again. This time, his rash had progressed, was more tender to the touch and some of the skin was peeling away.
He was asked more about what he’d been doing and revealed he was home-schooled and routinely used a laptop for educational activities, resting it on his abdomen for up to eight hours a day – often while charging it.
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Doctors swiftly realised he had erythema ab igne, also known as toasted skin syndrome, which occurs when the same patch of skin is repeatedly exposed to a low-grade heat source over a long period of time.
The issue can cause skin discolouration and burning sensations. Doctors are concerned it is on the rise in children due to electronic device usage.
The boy was told to stop resting his laptop on his body and a consultation with his dad several months later indicated that the condition had gradually improved and the rash had disappeared.
The report’s authors said: “The increasing use of electronic devices, particularly during home schooling, has emerged as an under-recognised cause of [erythema ab igne] in paediatric populations.”
Usually the condition clears up when the heat source is removed, but in rare cases, “chronic exposure may result in persistent pigmentation or, in longstanding cases, malignant transformation,” they warned.
Per Healthline, toasted skin syndrome can be serious – it’s been linked to cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous lymphoma.
The site suggests children could also be at an increased risk of toasted skin syndrome as “their skin is generally more sensitive than adults”.
To reduce the risk, ensure children and teens use a desk, thick pillow or lap desk to pop their devices on, so they’re not resting directly on their skin or clothes.
