A laptop resting on a child’s abdomen for hours each day has been linked to a rare skin condition in a case documented by two UK doctors. The report, published in a medical journal, describes a boy who developed unusual marks after prolonged daily use of the device.
The child, described only as being in mid-childhood, arrived at an emergency department with a patch of discolouration roughly 15 centimetres (six inches) wide across his abdomen. The marks were flat and reddish-brown, forming interlacing lines, irregular circles and a lace-like pattern. He reported no pain, and the affected skin was neither warm nor tender to the touch.
An unexplained presentation
The boy and his parents could not recall any recent injury or trauma. He was otherwise healthy, had not been unwell, and showed no systemic symptoms such as fever or fatigue. His growth and medical history appeared entirely normal. Nurses initially described the marks as spontaneous bruising, while a physical examination revealed no further abnormalities or signs of organ trouble.
A chest X-ray showed a small patch of whiteness over his left lung, suggesting cells or fluid such as pus or blood. While blood was being taken, the boy mentioned that about a week earlier he had been play-fighting with his siblings and had been pushed into a chair, an event he had withheld to avoid getting them into trouble. This prompted the doctors to consider a traumatic injury, and a CT scan was carried out to look for internal abdominal damage. None was found, aside from the minor lung finding, which could have been incidental to a mild infection.
The correct diagnosis
The boy was discharged with a short course of antibiotics for a possible lung infection, though the doctors remained uncertain about the cause and advised his parents to return if the marks persisted. Two weeks later, he was back, and the condition had worsened. The marks were larger, darker and tender, with patches of pink and areas where the skin was visibly breaking down.
Reconsidering the possibility of bruising, the doctors asked further questions. The boy then explained that he was homeschooled and used a laptop for his schoolwork, typically resting it on his abdomen for up to eight hours a day, frequently while the device was charging. This detail led to the diagnosis.
The doctors identified the condition as erythema ab igne (EAI), which translates from Latin as ‘redness from fire’ and is also known as toasted skin syndrome. The condition results from prolonged exposure to heat that is insufficient to cause an immediate burn, producing the characteristic reticulated pattern of discolouration seen on the boy’s abdomen.
Source
Image: arstechnica.com
