Medical professionals have warned of a rise in children suffering from skin reactions from resting electronic devices, for example laptops, against bare skin, reports The Independent.
This comes on the heels of a pre-teen boy being 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. EAI causes a net-like rash through prolonged exposure to low-level heat.
Typically seen in adults using hot water bottles or heating pads, it is becoming increasingly common among children using digital gadgets, doctors said, adding that early recognition in paediatric cases helps avoid unnecessary tests and prevents misdiagnoses.
Writing in BMJ Case Reports, Dr Mara Znagoveanu of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, said the patient went to a children’s emergency department with “spontaneous bruising”.
Neither the boy nor his parents could pinpoint the cause, and he was otherwise well with no trauma, fever, or weight loss. Normal scans and blood tests led to his discharge.
Two weeks later they returned, with the rash having worsened, becoming tender and peeling.
While doctors asked about common heat sources, further questioning revealed the boy was being home-schooled and used a laptop for learning. He reported resting the device on his stomach for up to eight hours a day, usually while it was charging.
He was eventually diagnosed with EAI.
Znagoveanu said: “As it is more commonly reported in adults, EAI may be overlooked in children, especially when the source of heat is less obvious than traditional sources like hot water bottles and heating pads.
“But the increasing use of electronic devices, particularly during home schooling, has emerged as an under-recognised cause of EAI in paediatric populations.”
She added that the condition might be misdiagnosed in youngsters, leading to unnecessary investigations such as blood tests or scans.
EAI is usually reversible, with the rash improving over weeks to months once the heat source is removed. However, in some cases it can lead to persistent hyper-pigmentation.
A number of months later, the boy’s rash had eventually disappeared.
Znagoveanu said: “There are currently no formal paediatric guidelines for EAI, and diagnosis remains clinical, based on history and characteristic findings. A limitation of this case was the lack of in-person follow- up, with resolution only confirmed later by the patient’s family via telephone call.
“The case highlights the importance of considering EAI in children presenting with reticulated rashes, particularly in the context of increasing electronic device use.
“Early recognition through targeted history-taking can prevent misdiagnosis and avoid unnecessary investigations.”
Study details
Erythema ab igne in a paediatric patient: an unexpected cause
Mara Znagoveanu1 and Edward Artley
Published in BMJ Case Reports in September 2026
Abstract
Erythema ab igne (EAI) is a reticulated, erythematous rash resulting from repeated exposure to low-grade heat, commonly from heating devices. Although historically more common in adults, EAI is increasingly recognised in children due to the growing use of electronic devices.
We describe a boy in mid-childhood presenting with an abdominal rash, initially suspected of having a liver injury following minor trauma. Blood tests and abdominal imaging were unremarkable. On re-presentation with rash progression and skin breakdown, targeted history identified prolonged laptop-to-skin contact, leading to a diagnosis of EAI.
This case emphasises the importance of considering laptop-induced EAI in children presenting with reticulated rashes, as early recognition can prevent misdiagnosis, unnecessary investigations and avoidable radiation exposure.
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