A 9-year-old boy was sent to the hospital with significant burns after he put his NeeDoh – a stretchy sensory toy – in the microwave. He had seen others do it on TikTok.
Caleb Chabolla, who is from Illinois, heard about the trend of heating the soft squishy toy from a boy at school and decided to give it a try on Tuesday, January 20.
His mother, Whitney Grubb, recalls hearing a “blood-curdling yell” as the toy exploded on his son’s face and hands.
Grubb immediately drove her son to the hospital. By then, his eye was swollen shut.
After arriving at the emergency room, he was transferred to Loyola Medicine’s Burn Center in Maywood, Chicago, for additional treatment. He ultimately spent the night there.
His mother said thankfully, the incident did not damage his vision.
After receiving treatment, Caleb returned home, where his burns are being taken of by his mother.
Paula Petersen, a nurse who works at an advanced burn center, said it is the fourth case of NeeDoh-related burns at the hospital this year.
Kelly McElligott, the hospital’s burn outreach coordinator, said injuries linked to TikTok challenges are something they encounter regularly.
She added that the people who get seriously hurt usually aren’t posting their experiences online, so kids mostly end up seeing the videos that make the challenges look fun or harmless.
A spokesperson for TikTok said any content on the platform that promotes harmful or dangerous behavior violates their community guidelines.
They added that these videos are usually removed from the app; those who search for these challenges are also redirected to the Safety Center on the app.
Schylling, the toy company that produces NeeDohs, did not immediately comment to the incident. However, there is a warning on its site stating that its toys should not be microwaved, frozen, or heated.
McElligott said the toys come with clear warnings saying they shouldn’t be heated, but many kids aren’t paying attention to those labels; this explain why injuries linked to minors account for about 30 percent of the burn unit’s patients.
