iPad Implicated in Pediatric Rashes Diagnosed as Nickel Allergies [Updated]

Apple's iPad may be the cause of unexplained allergic rashes in children, reports The Washington Post, which cites a case study of an 11-year-old boy that was published in Pediatrics medical journal.

retina_ipad_mini_colors_front_back
The Pediatrics article focuses on an 11-year-old boy who may be allergic to the nickel used in the casing of the tablet device. Following the increasing use of an iPad, the patient developed a rash that would not respond to conventional 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.

Doctors advised the boy to use a Smart Case that covers the entire outer surface of the tablet. Similar to other reports of electronic device-induced rashes, the boy's skin condition improved significantly when he started using a case that prevented direct contact with the device.

As noted by the Associated Press, nickel allergies in children appear to be on the rise, with 25 percent of those receiving skin tests testing positive for nickel allergies, up from 17 percent a decade ago.

This iPad isn't the only device implicated in skin rashes. Earlier this year, Fitbit voluntarily recalled its Force fitness tracker after a growing number of users developed contact dermatitis from wearing the band. The rash was originally attributed to nickel in the charging port of the band, but that metal may not be involved as many users covered the nickel-containing port with tape and continued to experience a rash.

Update 3:00 PM PT: Apple has provided a statement to The Wall Street Journal noting that its products meet strict standards set for jewelry by the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission.

"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," Apple said.

Related Roundup: iPad
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Caution)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

18 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.1

Monday October 21, 2024 1:44 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.1 on Monday, October 28, bringing the first set of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update marks the first significant step forward in Apple's AI integration, offering a new Siri contextually-aware experience and a range of additional capabilities powered by on-device machine learning and large language models. There are a ...
Tim Cook Vision Pro

Tim Cook Admits Truth About Vision Pro Following Lackluster Sales

Monday October 21, 2024 8:21 am PDT by
The Wall Street Journal's Ben Cohen this summer interviewed Apple CEO Tim Cook about the Vision Pro, innovation, Apple Intelligence, and more. Image Credit: Vanity Fair Cook admitted that the Vision Pro headset is not a mass-market product due to its high price. "At $3,500, it's not a mass-market product," said Cook. "Right now, it's an early-adopter product. People who want to have...
iphone 16 pro max

iPhone 16 Users Complain About Excessive iOS 18 Battery Drain

Thursday October 17, 2024 4:06 pm PDT by
Some iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users have been experiencing excessive and unexplainable battery drain, according to complaints on Reddit, the Apple Support Communities, and the MacRumors forums. While many of the reports are from iPhone 16 users, older iPhones running iOS 18 may also be experiencing battery life issues. There is a long-running iOS 18 battery life complaint thread on MacRumo...
iphone 16 pro colors 1

iPhone 16 Pro Bug Causing Random Freezing and Restarts

Friday October 18, 2024 2:16 pm PDT by
There appears to be a bug with some iPhone 16 models that is causing random restarts, according to complaints on Reddit, the MacRumors forums, and the Apple Support Communities. Affected users are seeing their iPhones freeze unexpectedly and then reboot. Reports about the issue have been ongoing since the iPhone 16 models first launched in September, and have continued to this week. The iOS...
top stories 19oct2024

Top Stories: New iPad Mini, Upcoming Mac Updates, and More

Saturday October 19, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
The first of a number of imminent Apple product updates arrived this week with the seventh-generation iPad mini, but what else is still in store and when can we expect to see them? On the software side, the public release of iOS 18.1 and related updates with the first Apple Intelligence features is drawing ever closer, and we can expect more of those features to arrive with iOS 18.2 before...
airpods pro 2 hearing aids

Apple Confirms AirPods Pro 2 Hearing Features Launching in iOS 18.1 Next Week

Monday October 21, 2024 5:32 am PDT by
Apple will release iOS 18.1 next week, introducing a suite of advanced hearing health capabilities to the AirPods Pro 2 and the first Apple Intelligence features. The timing of the update was confirmed by reviewers who were given early access to the AirPods Pro 2's new hearing health features, which are now known to be included in the update. The update will include three core features:...
When Will Apple Launch More M4 Macs Feature

Will Apple Release M4 Macs Soon? Here's What the Latest Rumors Say

Friday October 18, 2024 1:45 am PDT by
Apple often releases new Macs in the fall, but we are still waiting for official confirmation that the company has similar plans this year. We're well into October now, and if Apple plans to announce new Macs before the holidays, recent history suggests it will happen this month. Here's what we know so far. It's been 225+ days since Apple released a new Mac, the last being M3 versions of the ...
ipad mini 7 feature

iPad Mini 7 Has Display Hardware Changes That Likely Fix Jelly Scrolling

Friday October 18, 2024 12:45 pm PDT by
One of the main complaints about the prior-generation iPad mini 6 was "jelly scrolling" or screen tearing, and it sounds like it's a problem that Apple may have addressed with hardware updates to the iPad mini 7 display. In the most recent episode of the Six Colors Podcast, Jason Snell and Dan Moren discussed the new iPad mini 7, and shared some information about the display. Snell said that ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 2

All-New 'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Feature Single 48MP Rear Camera, 8GB of RAM, and More

Friday October 18, 2024 11:26 am PDT by
In recent months, several credible sources have claimed that Apple plans to release a redesigned, significantly thinner iPhone 17 model next year. The device's name is not yet known, so we are referring to it as the "iPhone 17 Air" for now. There have been conflicting rumors about the design and specifications for the device, but most sources have agreed that it will have around a 6.6-inch...

Top Rated Comments

selfsilent Avatar
134 months ago
NEWS! - Boy with allergy reacts to something that contains the thing he's allergic to.

SHOCKER!
Score: 83 Votes (Like | Disagree)
selfsilent Avatar
134 months ago
Samsung's next advert praising the allergy free high quality plastics used in their devices. Portrays Apple users as having terrible skin conditions.
Score: 49 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tevion5 Avatar
134 months ago
This is stupid as stated. And who lets an 11 year old use an ipad without a case? I wouldn't let my wife use an ipad without a case.

Proper 1950's order in your house!
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Populism Avatar
134 months ago
Is the back made of nickel? If so, it sounds like it's a nickelback issue. Nickelback is always a problem, for everyone.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
phr0ze Avatar
134 months ago
This is stupid as stated. And who lets an 11 year old use an ipad without a case? I wouldn't let my wife use an ipad without a case.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DesertEagle Avatar
134 months ago
Nickel allergy is common. Makes me wonder why Apple use nickel in the alloy of a tablet casing when it's supposed to be held in the hand.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)