‘The whole skin came off’: Dangerous implications from social media trend involving microwaved toys

Amelia Schwan and her mother share their story about being burned after a viral trend, and why other youth should be careful.

Last Sunday, Aida Schwan von Brasch ran to her kitchen after hearing her 13-year-old daughter, Amelie, screaming “get it off, get it off!” When she asked her what was wrong, Amelie told her a squishy toy had “exploded” on her chest after she put it in the microwave.

“I tried to get it off, but it was stuck on her,” Schwan von Brasch told CTV’s Your Morning on Thursday. “The one part was stuck on her shirt, the other one was on her skin, and then it came off with her skin.”

A quick consult online led her to put Amelie in a cold shower for 20 minutes, then bring her to an emergency room.

“When I saw the burn… the whole skin came off. It was bright pink, it was this big, so we knew we have to go to the ER,” she said, holding up her hands to indicate an area approximately six centimetres wide.

According to Amelie, she saw a video on social media of another child putting their squishy toy in the microwave to soften it.

“I was like, ‘Oh, I have one that’s pretty rock hard too, I’m gonna try it,’” Amelie said.

“I like felt it when it came out of the microwave, and it didn’t feel hot. It was just warm on the outside, so I was like, ‘Nothing’s going to happen.’ So, I just squeezed it, and then it just exploded all over my chest.”

Amelie said she didn’t realize the severity of the burn and didn’t register the pain because she was still in shock.

“I was just looking at my mom, and my mom and my dad had horrible facial expressions, and I was like, ‘What happened?’” she said. “And then I saw in the mirror, and I was shocked.”

Schwan von Brasch said despite the severity of the second-degree burn, they were “lucky” Amelie’s injuries weren’t worse. She’s now been told to keep the wound area covered at all times and to avoid the sun for the next 12 months as a part of her treatment plan.

‘Pediatric safety in the ever-evolving digital age’

A new social media trend involving the microwaving of squishy toys that has caught the attention of children and teenagers has proven to have dangerous implications. A growing number of children are seeing the inside of hospital burn units as their parents sound the alarm.

A case report and warning from the United Kingdom’s Journal of Surgical Reconstruction called for a discussion regarding the “broader implications for pediatric safety in the ever-evolving digital age.”

Researchers examined the case of a 10-year-old who suffered burn injuries after microwaving a squishy toy filled with a gel-like substance to make it more pliable. In their findings published in March, they said the toy ruptured, causing its heated contents to “splash and stick” to the girl’s body.

“This case illustrates the serious risk of seemingly innocent internet trends; particularly those involving thermal and chemical components,” the case report said. “We implore social media platforms to address these dangerous trends earlier, preventing such significant trauma to children and other vulnerable people.”

A 9-year-old from Chicago suffered severe burns on nearly half his face when his squishy toy exploded from heat after he microwaved it. The child said he tried it because his friend did, and did not get hurt.

The Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois told ABC’s Eyewitness News that this was the fourth case they have it has seen involving toys like NeeDoh Cubes and other brands.

In another U.S. case, an 11-year-old girl was nearly blinded after she followed the same social media trend, according to People. The girl was rushed to the emergency room and may need a skin graft because of the damage to her skin.

An investigation by Consumer Reports last December found that squishy toys like NeeDoh’s can break open and leak liquids, which can cause chemical burns. Reviews for NeeDoh’s Niceberg outline how easily the toys can break, with one saying a toy “broke within three days of fair use” and another noting how it “leaks at (the) seal quickly.”

Schylling, the maker of NeeDoh, challenged Consumer Reports’ pH test results, saying the inner gel was safe for skin contact.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), these toys can leave children with peeling skin and severe skin irritation.

CTVNews.ca reached out to the company for comment. This article will be updated if a response is received.

With files from CTV News’ Pat Foran