Doctors warn that children are microwaving NeeDoh toys – and risking serious burns
Medical Professionals Caution Parents Over Pediatric Injuries from Microwaved Sensory Toys
Doctors warn that children are microwaving – Whitney Hand happened to be tidying up in the laundry area when a piercing cry echoed from the kitchen. “It was a noise I had never witnessed her produce previously,” explained Hand, an Atlanta resident. “She continued yelling ‘Mom!’ repeatedly. Initially, I was confused, yet it was evident she suffered immense agony.” Hand soon grasped the situation. Her fifth-grade student had placed a popular gel-based sensory item inside the microwave to warm it up, contrary to manufacturer instructions.
Upon removal, the NeeDoh SplootSplat burst open. Boiling fluid sprayed across the child’s face and arm. “The substance is incredibly thick, resembling adhesive,” Hand recounted. “Because it was boiling hot and stuck to her skin, I attempted to clean it, but the material dragged her skin along with it.” The Hand family’s experience reflects a growing wave of incidents nationwide. Youngsters have been following social media tutorials to heat these gel-filled playthings, resulting in severe scalding injuries to various body parts including hands, arms, faces, and laps.
Medical Experts Report Rising Cases
Dr. Emily Werthman, who manages the Johns Hopkins Burn Center in Baltimore and holds certification as a Burn Registered Nurse, estimates she has treated approximately twelve such patients recently. “We’ve seen a handful of these cases just in our burn center alone, and if you ask burn centers throughout the country, they will tell you the same thing,” Werthman noted. “Unfortunately, those handfuls at every burn center add up to an unfortunately large number of kids who are getting injured.”
Hand admitted she was unaware of the phenomenon and did not know her daughter had been experimenting with the microwave. The official NeeDoh website features a clear caution: “NeeDoh products are designed to stay sealed and should not be cut open, eaten, heated, frozen, or microwaved, as misuse can damage the toy and create safety risks.” When questioned about her decision, the young girl explained that she had observed the practice on YouTube videos. “She said other kids at school had talked about doing it, and so it just is a trend that she tried,” Hand recalled.
Platform Responses and Safety Measures
Beyond the microwave, Dr. Werthman highlighted that these gel-filled containers can rupture and cause burns when left in vehicles on hot days or exposed to direct sunlight. “We have to talk to kids about how unsafe it is to be microwaving these toys and how to be careful with them if you leave them in the car,” Werthman advised. “We should be really teaching them not to leave them in the car, or on the pool deck, or wherever it’s going to be overheated.”
Regulatory bodies are also taking notice. Last year, the nonprofit Consumer Reports petitioned the Consumer Product Safety Commission to examine the NeeDoh toys, manufactured by Schylling, following numerous reports of pediatric burns. While the CPSC did not specify its intentions in a statement to CNN, the manufacturer has responded publicly. “We are disappointed to see there has been a trend on social media demonstrating misuse of our NeeDoh® products,” Meghann Ellis, the chief financial officer of Schylling, stated. “Misusing a NeeDoh® product by microwaving, heating, or freezing is dangerous and could cause injury to the consumer.”
Ellis emphasized that safety warnings are present on packaging and online listings. Furthermore, Schylling is collaborating with platforms like TikTok to remove videos that promote improper usage. A search on TikTok currently displays a safety alert rather than instructional videos. Meanwhile, a YouTube representative confirmed that the platform has monitored
