Local News
Shriners Children’s Boston is seeing an “alarming” number of patients with severe burns due to gel-filled fidget toys exploding
Doctors at Shriners Children’s Boston are warning families against a social media trend encouraging people to microwave gel-filled fidget toys, resulting in severe scald and chemical burns.
Shriners Children’s is seeing an “alarming” number of patients with severe burns due to the gel inside the toys exploding, often affecting people’s face, neck and hands, the hospital said in a press release.
“What many families don’t realize is that even 15 seconds, possibly less, in the microwave can heat the gel inside these toys to dangerous temperatures,” Shriners Children’s associate surgeon Colleen Ryan said in the release. “As the gel heats up, it expands and builds pressure inside the silicone shell, which can suddenly rupture. When that happens, the hot gel can spray out and stick to the skin much like hot glue, making it difficult to remove and causing severe burns.”
In the last six months, the hospital has treated at least one patient per week linked to this trend, with the number of patients increasing now that children are home for summer break, Shriners Children’s said.
Doctors have also seen burn injuries related to knockoff versions of these toys which have unreliable materials, increasing the risk of ruptures, deeper burns and exposure to potentially harmful materials, the hospital said.
“We’ve even seen cases where a child’s toy burst while they were simply holding it, likely from body heat alone,” Jillian Pasciucco a. nurse practitioner at the hospital, said in the release.
Children are at risk if they leave the toys outside in warm temperatures or in hot cars, the hospital said. Extreme cold can also increase the risk of rupture, so doctors warn against putting the toys in the freezer.
Pasciucco said it’s important to raise awareness about the dangers of this trend so parents can educate their children about using these toys safely.
If your child receives a scald or chemical burn, Shriners Children’s recommends removing the child from the source of the burn immediately, removing any clothing at the site of the injury, cooling the injury with cool tap water, and seeking medical attention.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
