CASE CLOSED The enclosed case for your tablet easily snaps the sections for the front and back in place, safekeeping the technology inside.

Clean and Safe
Protect Your iPads From Germs and Cracks

We give our pediatric patients iPads to play with before surgery (osmag.net/h4uVFV). It's a great distraction. But we wanted to find an economic solution that kept the sensitive technology protected from both germs and falls. Our solution? Simple tablet cases found at most retailers (including Wal-Mart and amazon.com). Look for one that's made to protect against drops and fully encloses the back, sides and screen of the tablet. The Otterbox brand is durable, comes in several sizes and can cost as little as $35. Follow the directions to snap the case around the tablet. Then, after patients use it to fill out a form or distract themselves before surgery, clean it with a surgical-strength disinfectant wipe. I've found the case is cheaper than some other options from vendors, and does just as good of a job keeping the tablet clean and protected.

Samuel C. Seiden, MD
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
Chicago, Ill.
[email protected]