A 9-year-old boy suffered serious burns and almost lost his eyesight after imitating a video he saw on social media by microwaving one of his toys.
Caleb Chabolla decided to heat up his NeeDoh Nice Cube sensory toy in the microwave after a friend suggested it would make the toy more pliable. His mother described the terrifying moment she heard her son’s distressing screams from the kitchen.
The young boy cried out, “It burns, it burns,” as the toy, made of non-toxic silicone on the outside but containing an adhesive-like substance inside, expanded and burst when exposed to high heat.
Whitney Grubb, Caleb’s mother, recounted how the substance splattered all over his face when he opened the microwave in their Chicago home. Rushing him to the hospital, she expressed concern about his eye, which had swollen shut from the burns on his face and hands.
Medical staff at a nearby hospital treated Caleb’s burns by cleansing them, removing dead skin, and applying ointment. Fortunately, an eye examination confirmed that his vision was unaffected by the incident.
According to doctors, Caleb is not the only child who has fallen victim to this dangerous trend. Kelly McElligott from the Loyola Medicine burn center shared another case where a child burned her finger after the toy melted from being microwaved.
Both Caleb’s mother and McElligott emphasized the importance of caution, advising against heating such toys in any way due to the serious risks involved.
Warning labels on the NeeDoh Nice Cube explicitly state that the toy should not be heated. Caleb is set to have a follow-up appointment at the burn clinic and is expected to return to school soon.
