The Dangerous New TikTok Trend That Badly Burned a 9-Year-Old Boy’s Face in His Home

TikTok trends are all fun and games—until they’re not. And a 9-year old boy from Illinois is living proof of that.

ABC7 recently shared a story about a young child who saw a TikTok video of people microwaving sensory toys to make them more pliable and decided to try it out for himself.

Within seconds, the squishy toy, known as a NeeDoh cube, exploded, leaving him with severe burns on his face.

Sadly, this is not the first time this has happened. A similar accident was reported last year by the New York Post, involving a 7-year old girl from Missouri who put a NeeDoh toy in the microwave and suffered severe burns, resulting in a medically induced coma.

Whether you have kids or not, these situations serve as an important reminder of just how quickly seemingly harmless activities can escalate into serious fire and burn risks at home, both to the people you live with and your home in general.

Hidden dangers of online trends

The problem with online trends is that kids—and some adults—don’t fully grasp the risks and dangers until it's too late.

Heating items in the microwave that aren’t meant for it can cause them to explode and spray scalding material, leading to severe burns, permanent scarring, vision loss, and other lifelong injuries.

“This case is tragic and a reminder that parents need to speak to their children and provide appropriate supervision, especially to what they see on social media, so they don’t wind up with another instance of monkey-see, monkey-do,” says Joshua Branch, personal injury attorney and managing partner at The Law Offices of Joshua W. Branch LLC in Athens, GA.

Jason Reese, co-founder and partner attorney at Wagner Reese in Carmel, IN, points out the popularity of the NeeDoh cube trend that makes it that much more hazardous. 

“The increasingly popular NeeDoh squishy toys and the ‘Needoh cube microwave’ have increased by over 1,500% in Google searches in the past week alone. While these toys seem benign, many parents may not realize the dangers,” Reese says.

Fire and burn risks at home

Burns in the home are usually caused by everyday household items. The most common fire and burn come from the following:

Kitchens

Cooking not only causes most house fires but burn injuries as well. “The combination of hot liquids, grease, and hot surfaces can quickly get out of hand,” says Branch.

Water heaters

Temperatures on a water heater need to be set properly.  According to Branch, anything above 120 degrees Fahrenheit can scald a child.

Space heaters

Oftentimes, kids are unaware of the dangers of touching space heaters. They may also put them too close to curtains, bedding, furniture, or other flammable items.

Electrical concerns

Adults are often guilty of overloading outlets. “They may also continue to use appliances with damaged cords that can ignite a fire in seconds,” explains Branch.

Candles

Too many people leave candles unattended. “Candles are exceptionally deadly if you have children or pets, or you put them too close to something flammable,” says Branch.

Misusing appliances

Using a microwave to heat something that shouldn’t be heated is a prime example of misusing appliances and a likely way to suffer a painful burn injury.

How parents and homeowners can protect their property 

By being proactive, you can help keep your home and everyone in it safe. Branch recommends installing smoke alarms and ensuring water temps are no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding.

Also, make rules for your home’s danger zones. “Tell your kids to stay several feet from the oven, stove, fireplace, and space heater,” explains Branch. Additionally, never let your kids use heat producing appliances without supervision. 

Lastly but most importantly, watch for these types of trends and talk to your kids about the dangers and what could go wrong if they try them. Monitoring what they’re doing online and having regular discussions about these trends is also ideal for preventing more tragedies. 

“Kids don’t always think about what could go wrong, and it’s up to the adults in their lives to make sure they understand that burns can be excruciating and leave scars forever,” says Branch.

What to do if something similar happens at home

In the event your child suffers burns or other serious injuries after participating in a viral trend, make sure they receive medical attention immediately. 

“Even if the burns are minor, seeing a doctor is key. Not only will this prevent further injury, it will also open the doors to more legal options if necessary,” explains Daniel Setareh, a personal injury attorney at Setareh Law in Beverly Hills, CA.

It may also be a good idea to consult a lawyer, especially if you believe the burns or injuries were due to a defective product and could have been prevented. 

Additionally, Setareh recommends reporting the dangerous trend to the relevant authorities, such as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to warn others and prevent similar situations.