Child Suffers Injuries from Microwaving Toy in Chicago

A 9-year-old boy in Chicago had a frightening incident after trying a TikTok-inspired trick with a sensory toy known as NeeDoh, resulting in severe burns.

Caleb Chavola decided to microwave NeeDoh Nice Cubes, believing, as a friend had suggested, that it would make the toy more pliable. However, when the toy was heated, it led to disastrous consequences.

Caleb’s mother, Whitney Grubb, recounted hearing a terrifying scream followed by her son exclaiming, “It’s burning! It’s burning!” The outer layer of the NeeDoh is made from non-toxic silicone, but the interior contains a glue-like material that reacts to heat by expanding and eventually bursting.

When Caleb opened the microwave, the heated substance erupted, splattering him in the face.

“It felt like the right side of his face was melting away,” Grubb said.

Images taken at the hospital revealed a painful, baseball-sized welt on Caleb’s face, with redness extending to his lips. Grubb mentioned that Caleb suffered second-degree burns on both his face and hands. Upon arriving at Loyola University Medical Center, the burns were so severe that medical staff had to remove necrotic tissue.

Fortunately, Caleb did not require skin grafts, but doctors indicated that he might be left with a scar.

Caleb stated he almost blacked out from the pain as the substance burned him. “Think before you act,” he offered as advice to others.

He was unaware that his friend’s suggestion stemmed from a viral challenge. Grubb called for social media platforms to take more responsibility in monitoring the content accessible to children.

“People really don’t grasp the consequences these challenges have on kids, especially young ones,” Grubb expressed.

After the incident gained attention, NeeDoh added explicit warnings on their products against freezing or microwaving their sensory toys, as this was not the first incident involving burns from similar actions. Caleb is reportedly the fourth child in the Chicago area treated for burn injuries related to NeeDoh, illustrating the broader risks associated with these trends.

Last March, a 7-year-old girl suffered severe injuries from attempting the same TikTok trick, resulting in her being placed in a medically induced coma for several days.