Warning! Trigger warning!
On our website, we don't want to shock you with images illustrating the dangers of charging cables. However, the following report shows that there's definitely more to it than just the situation where, for example, the charging cable stops working after being ingested with saliva during the oral phase of babies and toddlers, or where the carpet gets scorched:
" Her mother, Courtney N. Davis, had only taken her eyes off her for a few seconds – but in that exact moment, the little girl discovered a cell phone charging cable still plugged into the socket. She bit down on the end and received an electric shock that caused severe burns to her mouth."
These lines, of course, describe the worst-case scenario – injuries caused by a supposedly safe system, as also described in the article: "The answer is often: Sucking on the charging cable is not dangerous because the current is regulated down to 5 volts by the adapter. Even many pediatricians argue this way. However, the pictures of little Gabby show that it can indeed be dangerous if children put a charging cable in their mouths."
Source: Life and Education, article “ Baby bites charging cable and suffers severe burns ” by Jana Kalla
Photo: Facebook.com/Courtney N Davis
We've also looked into this and can confirm: It can be dangerous AND it's far too often underestimated! A charging cable doesn't necessarily get hot when it's put in the mouth. However, the possibility certainly exists if saliva gets into the charging contacts, especially if this happens frequently. Anecdotal evidence shows that heat buildup is not uncommon. Fortunately, it's "only" the carpet that gets affected, or the cable is replaced in time if it's already charging poorly. Charging cables rendered unusable by saliva are actually very common in families with babies or toddlers. This just goes to show how often this device comes into direct contact with the mucous membranes of young children. Parents can consider themselves lucky if they don't experience such a drastic case as described in the article. And since our smartphones and tablets are supposed to charge ever faster, charging currents are also becoming increasingly higher, which directly increases this risk.
Therefore, we advise all parents: Please DO NOT underestimate the danger!