TikTok NeeDoh: 9-Year-Old Illinois Boy Suffers Serious Burns After Following Social Media Trend

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - A 9-year-old boy in Plainfield, Illinois, Caleb Chabolla suffered serious burns after attempting a dangerous trend that went viral on the TikTok platform.

The incident happened a two weeks ago, as Caleb was getting ready for school.

His burns were severe, including second-degree burns on one side of his face and hands, and his eyes were swollen shut after a NeeDoh Nice Cube toy that Caleb had placed in the microwave.

When he opened the microwave door, the gel-filled toy exploded, spraying hot material onto his face and hands.

Caleb got the idea for this dangerous stunt from a friend at school, after they were discussing the NeeDoh Cube trend, which was popular on the short-form video app.

After the incident, Caleb's mother, Whitney Grubb, immediately took him to the hospital.

Caleb was then transferred to the Loyola Medicine Burn Center in Maywood.

The Loyola Medicine Burn Center has reported an increase in similar cases in recent months.

They have received four patients with burns caused by the NeeDoh Cube toy.

Kelly McElligott, burn outreach coordinator at Loyola, explained that the thick gel material in the toy has the property of sticking and retaining heat longer, causing burns that are much more severe than typical burns.

NeeDoh toys, designed as sensory toys, are not meant to be heated or frozen.

However, the TikTok trend encourages users to do just that, hoping for a different sensory experience, such as making the toy softer or "melting."

Caleb's parent, Whitney Grubb, is actively warning the public about the dangers of the TikTok trend, saying no more children will experience similar incidents.

This TikTok trend involving NeeDoh toys specifically encourages users to heat the gel-filled sensory toys in the microwave.

Some variations of the trend even suggest freezing the toys before heating them.

This action aims to soften or "melt" the toy's texture, providing a different sensory experience.

However, the hidden dangers of this trend are significant.

The gel material inside NeeDoh toys is not designed to withstand high temperatures.

When heated, the internal pressure inside the toy can increase dramatically, causing the toy to rupture or explode.

This explosion sprays hot gel, which can cause severe burns and the sticky nature of the gel makes it difficult to remove from the skin.

NeeDoh toy manufacturer, Schylling, has issued a stern warning on their website, stated that customers should not "heat, freeze, or microwave" as doing so "may cause personal injury."