Scots children left with serious burns after exploding microwave ‘squishy’ toy trend

Parents are being warned about a dangerous social media trend that is leaving children with serious burns. Several children have had to attend hospital in Glasgow over the last eight months after sustaining severe injuries when the ‘squishy’ toy hack has gone wrong.

Videos are currently circulating online that are advising children to place their squishy toys into the microwave in order to make them softer and easier to squeeze. With many of the toys featuring a foam or gel inside, the idea is that the heat will allow the toys to be pulled and stretched further than before.

However, medical experts are warning that this trend is leading to some of the toys exploding. This is due to pressure building inside the squishy, causing it to suddenly break and release hot gel, which can stick to the skin and cause severe burns.

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Sadly this has been the case for a few children in Scotland as the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) in Glasgow has reportedly treated six children over the past eight months with injuries linked to the trend. Some of the injuries have been so severe that the children have needed skin grafts.

One young patient was 11-year-old Scarlet Rowe from Irvine in North Ayrshire. Soon after receiving a squishy toy in May, Scarlet tried out the microwave trend, which left her with burns to her face and eyelid.

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Explaining the incident, her mother Gina said: “We didn’t realise what had happened at first, it just looked like slime on her face. It was only after a few minutes we realised it had been heated and was burning her skin.

“The swelling was so bad that we weren’t sure what the outcome would be. Thankfully, no graft was required but it is so close to her eye that this could have been a lot worse.”

Gina has warned other parents to be vigilant and keep an eye on what their children are watching online as she was not aware of the risks the seemingly innocent toy could pose.

Another victim of the dangerous trend was eight-year-old Joseph Erskine from Clackmannanshire. After his squishy toy burst across his chest and hand in May, he needed to complete weeks of treatment and get a skin graft to ease his injuries.

Speaking to the Press Association, his mother Stephanie Ewing explained that Joseph had come across the trend online. She said: “My husband and I were home. We were sitting in the living room next door when Joseph came in holding a towel to his face.

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“He had already wiped off the burning gel which had also taken off his skin. He was saying that his squishy burnt him and we initially thought he meant a chemical burn. Then he told us that he had put it in the microwave.”

Stephanie added: “We were shocked as it had never crossed our minds that he would do that with a toy. He has never used the microwave before. One of us had heated something earlier and so the clock was already set at 40 seconds. Joseph just hit start. It was that quick and easy for him.”

Joseph had to get skin taken from his thigh and have it applied to his chest when the burn wouldn’t heal on its own. Doctors have since told the family that the graft area needs to avoid direct sunlight for two years, which Stephanie confesses will be “tricky over the summer months”.

Sharon Ramsay, a burns nurse at the RHC, said: “Unfortunately, we are seeing a growing number of children with preventable injuries linked to this trend. When these toys are heated, the contents can explode and stick to the skin, causing deep burns.

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“These injuries can be very serious and may require long-term treatment, including surgery and rehabilitation. In some cases, children are left with permanent scarring. We strongly urge parents and carers to speak to their children about the risks.”