A mother from Illinois has spoken out about the terrifying incident when her son sustained severe facial injuries after attempting a TikTok challenge.
Whitney Grubb was preparing to take her two children to work when she unexpectedly heard the microwave start. She assumed her nine-year-old son, Caleb Chabolla, was heating his breakfast.
However, her assumption was quickly shattered by a ‘bloodcurdling scream’ emanating from the kitchen. Caleb had placed a Needoh Nice Cube, a sensory toy meant to alleviate anxiety, in the microwave.
The moment Caleb opened the microwave door, the gel-filled toy exploded, splattering hot material onto his face and hands. Though he didn’t recall the incident clearly, he mentioned following a TikTok trend suggested by a friend.
The trend, which encourages heating toys to make them more pliable, poses significant risks, especially since microwaves can heat plastic to dangerous temperatures in seconds.
Despite not having social media, Caleb learned of the trend from a friend and decided to try it out.
Grubb explained: “It wasn’t anything malicious, it was just kids sharing stories, and unfortunately, he decided to try it.”
Upon hearing Caleb’s screams, Grubb attempted to wash the substance off his skin in the shower. However, the rapidly cooling material and Caleb’s intense pain led her to rush him to an emergency room. He was subsequently transferred to Loyola Medicine’s Burn Center for more specialized care.
Caleb had to stay overnight at the hospital for treatment, and an ophthalmologist attended to the area near his eye, which had swollen shut from the accident.
This incident was brought to public attention by Loyola Medicine as a warning about the dangers of microwaving toys, with several similar cases reported at their burn center this year.
Paula Petersen, an advanced practice nurse at the burn center, remarked: “Unfortunately, Caleb’s is the fourth case we have seen this year with Needoh cubes.
“Caleb is very lucky he didn’t sustain greater injuries. These trends can be extremely dangerous for young people who are less likely to consider or unable to understand the serious consequences.”
Fortunately, Caleb’s vision was unharmed, and he has returned to school, where his mother describes him as being very social.
Medical professionals are raising alarms about how TikTok trends are contributing to an increase in children being hospitalized.
Kelly McElligot, Loyola’s Outreach Coordinator, commented: “We see the negative results of TikTok challenges all the time. The people who are getting hurt don’t necessarily post the TikToks. You’re just seeing the fun ones where it looks cool.
“Whether it’s these toys that clearly have a label that says ‘don’t heat,’ but kids aren’t going to read labels. Or it’s ramen noodles coming out of the microwave that kids spill on themselves, or little kids pulling hot coffee off the counter.
“These are injuries we see every year at the burn center. Thirty percent of our patients are pediatric patients. I think it’s every day common things in the home that are burning these kids, and we want to make sure that parents should be diligent about what’s in their house.”