Tablets and smartphones have become some of the most prized possessions in life for a number of individuals, but it’s easy to believe that these devices are harmless, despite the exposure to metal, glass, and radiation rays. According to a new medical story, this assumption may become outdated soon.

An 11-year-old San Diego boy had a rash that seemed resistant to creams, ointments, and medication for months became a participant in a study to find the cause of his rash. Doctors finally stumbled upon the reason behind the boy’s rash: the nickel ingredient in his iPad.

Once the boy’s iPad was placed into a protective case, his nickel rash improved – a sign that his nickel allergy was caused by daily exposure to his iPad. According to the boy’s mother, the 11-year-old used his iPad daily without a case.

The 11-year-old’s discovery isn’t the only one that seems to confirm the iPad’s nickel ingredient as a source of the rash within the medical community. California MD Dr. Mohiba Tareen says that one of her own medical team members places an iPad on her arm throughout the day. Little rashes appear by the end of the day, and the team members notice them on the affected team member.

Nickel allergies once affected only 10% of the adult population a decade ago, but nickel allergies have now become a plight of children as young as 8 years old. The reason? The iPad, first released in 2010, has become a favorite “toy” of children, as parents find ways to entertain their children without constant supervision. While 15% of adults now manifest nickel allergies, a whopping 20-25% of children manifest nickel allergies – all due to the iPad’s ever-growing child fan base.