x300 Trackpoint Toxic? my Daughter ate it this morning *PIC*

[pnolan]

Exactly as title says - should I be worried? She's 22 months old and she definitely swallowed the trackpoint!

Any advice welcomed,
Paul.

[dr_st]

Well, I think we will all find out the answer to that question pretty soon.

Sorry for the dark humour, but I don't think anyone ever here tried eating their trackpoint, or performing a chemical analysis to determine toxicity. My uneducated guess would be that since it's just some rubber and paint, it should be fine, especially since the quantity is so small. But it is a small child, therefore I would consult a doctor ASAP. I'm sure they have much more relevant knowledge and experience than you would find in a computer forum.

[pnolan]

Thanks for the answer,

She's been stealing my trackpoint since she was 8 months old for some reason,

Obiouvsly the most important issue is where to i replace the trackpoint - I can't use the track pad at all so it's taking me ages to get around.


Just kidding: called a doctor and was recommend to go to the emergency room - I have an AGM to present accounts at today and can't really get out of it, my wife doesnt seem to worried, because her uncle's son ate a small lump of gold before and it just took him about 3 days to poop it out. With solid reasoning like that, who needs facts?

Shouldn't be a problem as long as Lenovo aren't using any substances of very high concern in their manufacturing process.

[dr_st]

Obiouvsly the most important issue is where to i replace the trackpoint - I can't use the track pad at all so it's taking me ages to get around.

You should have received two replacement trackpoint caps with your X300 (unless you bought it used). They are of a different kind though, so if you would rather the specific one you were using, you can buy one from Lenovo, or eBay, or some folks on these forums...

Just kidding: called a doctor and was recommend to go to the emergency room - I have an AGM to present accounts at today and can't really get out of it

If you really had to go to the emergency room, you'd find a way to get out of it... But I don't think you really have to. When I recommended to call a doctor, I actually thought about a friend who's a doctor (if you have any). Because they would give you honest opinion, whereas the average doctor is likely to tell you to go to the ER, just so that under no circumstances you can hold them liable in the unlikely event that something goes wrong... I kinda forgot about how the world works in these situations...

my wife doesnt seem to worried, because her uncle's son ate a small lump of gold before and it just took him about 3 days to poop it out.

This is the most likely outcome here too (time-to-completion may vary). But seeing as the trackpoint is soft rubber, it may not be usable after it goes through the, ehm, circle of life, shall we call it, even if you do manage to recover it.

[pnolan]

Good stuff doc, thanks for that.

I lied about calling a doctor I didn't - apologies, but you're the next best thing?!.



This thread is worthless without pics?

[Harryc]

In the interest of preserving a photographic record of Thinkpad history, we insist that when the trackpoint is finally 'processed', that you clean it up and take pictures...post them here. . After all, Lenovo themselves create movies of what happens to Thinkpads during other natural disasters....LOL.

[pnolan]

I would never disobey a moderator,
pics coming shortly!

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

my wife doesnt seem to worried

If that's the case, I wouldn't be worried either

[emeraldgirl08]

In the interest of preserving a photographic record of Thinkpad history, we insist that when the trackpoint is finally 'processed', that you clean it up and take pictures...post them here. . After all, Lenovo themselves create movies of what happens to Thinkpads during other natural disasters....LOL.

ROFL!

Hate to laugh but it's funny! Seriously though I think she's okay. Kids are tough these days! She'll probably be a future Thinkpad owner you think???

[force]

Considering that she's already pining for a Trackpoint, I give it high odds.

I'd be more concerned about the trackpoint being a choking hazard. One it's down, there's really only one way out.

All concerns for your daughter's health aside, this thread is pretty amusing. =)

[plympton]

Can't tell you how many times my daughter has swiped my various trackpoints. I'd wager that a trackpoint is pretty benign for swallowing. Squishy stuff, and it probably won't digest (much). Not compared to the lava rock that my daughter ate last Fall. <Crunch><Crunch><Crunch> "Um, honey, what are you eating?!?!"

<Dark Humor>You're lucky she's already a girl, as it's been shown that some of the ingredients in plastic have been known to bend genders! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... males.html</Dark Humor>

-Dan

[Esben]

I've read that computer keyboards are actually more bacteria infested than a toilet seat. Judging from the average dark red/black color many TrackPoints have, eating it might be equivalent to licking an entire toilet seat (of course depending on wear/tear)

[plympton]

I've read that computer keyboards are actually more bacteria infested than a toilet seat. Judging from the average dark red/black color many TrackPoints have, eating it might be equivalent to licking an entire toilet seat (of course depending on wear/tear)

Gross! And to think the preferred "Dish" kind might actually be a better collector!

[ZaZ]

Later in life she'll be strangely attracted to ThinkPads, but can't figure out why.

[visionguru]

Exactly as title says - should I be worried? She's 22 months old and she definitely swallowed the trackpoint!

Any advice welcomed,
Paul.

Have you searched the house for the Trackpoint cap?
My daughter is 23 months old. In the last 9 months, I thought she swallowed the trackpoint at least 3 times! But the trackpoint always showed up in some strange places, such as my shoe, her mother's purse, under the couch.

Probably it's the rubber, the trackpoint attracts little children. My daughter chew the trackpoint MANY times. Now, once she saw me staring at her direction, she will immediately took the trackpoint out of her mouth and put it back on (my wife was impressed). My keyboard.......

[pnolan]

Hi guys! It turned out she didn't eat the trackpoint - , I found it a couple of weeks later under the bed. (she had thrown it away just before I caught her)!

Sorry for that, and I'll leave you with this pic of my X300, My wife's X200, and a Bunch of SL500's dotted around the workplace...

There are also some people in this picture (you'll have to guess which one has a taste for trackpoints).

Many thanks for the light hearted and funny answers.




P.s. Can anyone help me source a 13.3 BOE-Hydis screen for an x300? I will have to ditch this otherwise wonderful machine before it's time unless I can get a half decent Screen (I still use my T41p about 2 - 3 hours per day just to take a break from the horrible X300 screen).

Admin edit: Added *PIC* to original post's subject line. Please try to keep inline images to around 50KB and note the inclusion since some people still have dial-up or access the forum using cell phones/PDAs.

[Harryc]

[pnolan]

Sorry about the image side! And also apologies for leading everyone on!

Thanks Harry!

[emeraldgirl08]

OMG! I love that pic of your daughter!

Awwww.... lol she's looking like, "Yeah. I ate it and now I want my Flexview!!!"

Thanks for sharing!

[aag]

the danger is not so much toxicity, but rather intestinal obstruction and/or invagination which can be rapidly lethal. Next time, do her (and yourself) a favor and call the doctor right away, whatever your wife thinks or says!

BTW, I am an MD myself and a father of two - since I am not a pediatrician (I am a neurologist) I have called the children's hospital ER many many times in my days...

[Gustavo]

My best advice concerning Thinkpads and children is they dont mix that well, I have two kids and they are not allowed
to touch my Thinkpads. One soda spill over my T43 taught me this lesson. Off course the T43 was fine after the spill but the keyboard
was very sticky after the incident. But after I ripped it out and let is lay in hot water for some time it was fine.

[sportfreak]

she looks like an absolute angel ( thinkpad angel maybe ??? )
nevertheless glad she dint eat it, irrespective of its materials ..

yeh very high probability that she will be in these forums in the future commenting on this very thread ..

[j-dawg]

Looks like a troublemaker..