Urgent warning to parents over TikTok fad of microwaving squishy toys,
Experts have issued an urgent warning to parents as a terrifying TikTok trend encourages children to place popular squishy toys in the microwave.
Across social media, youngsters are telling each other to heat up squeezable toys to make them more malleable.
Most involve the NeeDoh, a cube–shaped toy made from a type of gel–filled rubber that is selling out everywhere.
But several children have been left with severe burns after the squishy exploded, covering them in scalding goop.
Horrifying images show a nine–year–old with extensive burns to his face, while a seven–year–old was left in a coma with third–degree burns after being showered in the face and chest with red–hot goo.
Recently, a British mum revealed her 10–year–old daughter had ‘traumatising burns’ after copying the trend.
Now, experts are urging parents to speak to their children about the dangers of copying online fads.
Rhiain Reynolds, from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, warned ‘misuse of household appliances can have devastating consequences’ and that parents should reinforce that ‘microwaves are not toys’.
Nine–year–old Caleb (left) was left with severe burns to his face after he took part in a dangerous TikTok trend on January 20. Scarlett Selby (right), aged seven, was left in a coma and inflicted with horrific third–degree burns after a popular squishy toy she microwaved exploded in her face
One devastated mother from Bristol has written an online post highlighting the dangers of the trend.
‘Squishes – the latest toy all the kids want but there’s also a TikTok trend to put them in the microwave,’ she wrote on Facebook.
‘Please talk to your kids of the dangers – if you Google it, there’s been so many kids with horrific burns from doing this.
‘My poor [child] being one of them. She wasn’t at home and wasn’t the one who did it, but she was there – it could have easily happened at home as its 100 per cent something she would do.
‘Squishy was only put in the microwave for 30 seconds. The silicon outer layer of the squishy hid how hot the inside liquid was.’
She revealed her daughter was referred to the burns unit and told she won’t be able to have her face in the sun for at least two summers.
‘They aren’t sure if it will scar,’ she added. ‘She is a very lucky girl [that] this didn’t get in her eye.’
Other parents have commented on the post, saying the same thing has happened to their children and that it was the ‘scariest thing ever’. The trend has also appeared on Instagram and YouTube.
Toy company Schylling Toys, which manufactures NeeDoh toys, have a warning on their website that reads ‘Do NOT heat, freeze, or microwave, may cause personal injury’
Last month, a family revealed their daughter was left in a coma and inflicted with horrific third–degree burns after putting her NeeDoh in the microwave.
Scarlett Selby from Festus, Missouri, put the toy in the freezer and then zapped it for a few seconds to make it more pliable.
But harmless playtime soon turned to a living nightmare when she took the toy out and it exploded – showering the seven–year–old’s face and chest with red–hot goo.
Horrified dad Josh Selby, 44, raced over to her when he heard a ‘blood–curdling scream’ and desperately tried to claw the sticky substance off her skin and clothes.
The machine operator rushed Scarlett to hospital where doctors placed her in an induced coma over fears the burns on her mouth would cause her airways to swell up and close.
Months on from the ordeal on October 1, Scarlett faces an anxious wait to see if she’ll need skin grafts on the second and third–degree burns she sustained.
Doctors are warning other parents to take note of the incident to prevent similar scenarios from happening.
Dr William Schaffner, who is based out of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee, told DailyMail.com: ‘Toys are not made to be microwaved, so children and adults are strongly advised not to do so. Tragic events such as exploding toys that cause serious burns can result. Beware – take care!’
Dr Matthew Harris, co–chair of pediatric emergency medicine at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, warns: ‘Toys often contain plastic or metal that can expand or ignite during heating in the microwave.
‘This could set fire to the microwave and cause an explosion that can lead to devastating burns and blunt trauma.
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‘It’s critical for parents to educate their children not just about the danger of putting any object in the microwave, but even some plates and plasticware can ignite and cause a fire or explosion.’
Scarlett’s mother, Amanda Blakenship, said her daughter had seen clips of people microwaving the toy online and wanted to try it out for herself.
She is also urging anyone with these toys to throw them out to prevent the same thing happening to anyone else.
Toy company Schylling Toys, which manufactures NeeDoh toys, has a warning on its website that reads ‘Do NOT heat, freeze, or microwave, may cause personal injury’.
A TikTok spokesman said any content that promotes dangerous behaviour that may lead to serious injury is a violation of the company’s community guidelines and will be removed.
