iPad Air with Apple’s Smart Case
A report in the medical journal Pediatrics claims that the allergic reaction of an 11-year-old boy may have been due to the nickel in his iPad, with the Washington Post saying that the case appears to be just one example of many.
The boy, treated at a San Diego hospital, had a history of skin issues, but a different rash developed all over his body and wouldn’t respond to typical treatment. His skin tested positive for nickel, one of the most common allergy-inducing metals, and doctors traced it back to an iPad he had used with increasing frequency the past six months. The iPad tested positive for nickel as well, according to the report.
Reportedly the boy’s condition improved when he switched to using a Smart Case, an example of which is shown above, seemingly confirming the cause.
The Washington Post does appear to be extrapolating rather a lot from a single case and a few forum posts, however. And similar cases have popped up for other consumer electronics products. Apple apparently told AP that it has no comment to make.
Update: Apple gave the following statement to The Wall Street Journal regarding the incident: “Apple’s products are made from the highest quality materials and meet the same strict standards set for jewelry by both the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission and their counterparts in Europe.”
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Some cleaning products have some traces of nickel. I wonder if the Mom was cleaning the iPad with that kind of product?
I wonder where the nickel is located. The power/sleep button? Volume rocker? I wonder how it was determined that the iPad was the source and not something else common like coins.
Not that I doubt the claim but I thought a nickel allergy required skin contact. With one side of the iPad being glass and the other side anodized aluminum, where’s the nickel?
Do nickels have nickel these days?
This could become a serious issue – the point about cleaning products is valid.
Have you ever tasted your finger after using your trackpad? I did it accidentally, once.
Let’s face it- the products we use need to be safe.
Nickels are 25% nickel, dimes, quarters and half dollars are 8.33%. Never tasted my trackpad.
Thanks, mp.
Not suggesting you lick the trackpad but if you’re rating potato chips and using a device , it’s logical that a person could lick their fingers.
As far as fear mongering, I disagree. Consumers should be aware of what they are putting on their bodies, whether is the material in a device or any EMF-type of output.
Our bodies are sponges.
I should add that things children are exposed to need extra scrutiny because of their developing bodies. Plus, they are more likely to use a device improperly. How many YouTube videos are there showing a kid with a phone in his mouth? Or how many of us wash their hands between using a device and eating?
Fear mongering!