NeeDoh Nice Cube
NeeDoh Nice Cube

A 9-year-old boy from suburban Chicago is recovering from second-degree burns to his face and hands after microwaving a popular gel-filled sensory toy in a viral social media trend that has sent multiple children to hospitals, his mother and medical officials said Wednesday.

Caleb Chabolla was getting ready for school on Jan. 20 when he placed a NeeDoh Nice Cube — a squishy, stress-relief toy filled with gel — into the microwave, following a TikTok video suggesting the heating would make it softer and more pliable. Within seconds, the toy exploded, splattering hot gel across the right side of his face and his hands.

"He was crying and just yelling, 'It burns, it burns,'" his mother, Whitney Grubb, told WGN-TV and other outlets. "The right side of his face was kind of melting off, basically." Grubb rushed Caleb to the emergency room, where doctors diagnosed second-degree burns requiring specialized care.

Caleb was transferred to Loyola Medicine's Burn Center in Maywood, where he received treatment including wound care and pain management. He was released after several days and is now healing at home, though the burns left visible scarring and required ongoing follow-up.

Loyola Medicine issued an urgent warning, noting that Caleb is the fourth child the center has treated this year for similar injuries from the same trend. The NeeDoh Nice Cube, marketed as a safe, non-toxic sensory toy for squeezing and fidgeting, carries no microwave-safe instructions and is not designed for heating.

"The toy itself isn't the problem — it's the dangerous trend pushing kids to heat it," Grubb said in interviews with CBS Chicago and ABC7. She stressed that she had repeatedly warned her son about microwave dangers but that peer influence from school friends sharing the videos overrode caution.

TikTok videos demonstrating the "NeeDoh microwave hack" show users briefly heating the cubes to restore pliability after they firm up over time. Some clips gain thousands of views, with creators demonstrating the process without safety warnings. Health experts say microwaving gel-filled items can cause superheating, leading to explosive bursts when disturbed.

Burn specialists at Loyola and other facilities have seen a rise in such cases, echoing past viral challenges like the "fire challenge" or "deodorant challenge" that have caused serious injuries. In January 2026 alone, Chicago-area hospitals reported teen burns from lighting hands on fire with sanitizer, but the NeeDoh trend targets younger children with seemingly innocuous toys.

The incident highlights ongoing concerns about social media's influence on child safety. Platforms like TikTok use algorithms that amplify trending content, often without age-appropriate filters or prominent hazard labels. Parents and educators have called for stricter content moderation and parental controls.

Grubb shared her story to prevent repeats. "I never thought a simple toy could do this," she told reporters. "Parents need to talk to their kids about what they see online — and supervise more closely." She urged families to keep microwaves inaccessible to young children unsupervised and to discard any videos promoting unsafe experiments.

Caleb, described by his mother as energetic and kind, has shown resilience during recovery. "He's doing better every day," Grubb said. "But the scars will remind us forever."

Loyola Medicine's burn team emphasized education over blame. "These are preventable injuries," a spokesperson said. "We see the consequences when curiosity meets misinformation online."

The NeeDoh brand, produced by Schylling Toys, has not issued a formal statement on the trend but packaging clearly advises against heating. Similar gel toys have faced scrutiny in the past for microwave misuse.

Child safety advocates renewed calls for platforms to demonetize or remove dangerous challenge videos. TikTok's community guidelines prohibit content encouraging harmful behavior, but enforcement relies on reports and AI detection.

For Caleb's family, the ordeal serves as a stark lesson. Grubb hopes sharing their experience sparks conversations in homes nationwide about balancing screen time with real-world caution.

As Caleb heals, his mother remains vigilant. "No trend is worth this pain," she said. "Talk to your kids — before something explodes."

The case adds to a growing list of social media-related injuries prompting parental awareness campaigns and calls for legislative oversight of youth-targeted content.

Originally published on ibtimes.com.au