Doctors are warning parents about the dangers of children microwaving popular squishy sensory toys, which can cause serious burns. The trend, which has been spreading on social media, involves children putting the toys in the microwave to soften them, despite warnings from the manufacturer.

Dangers of Microwaving Sensory Toys

According to Dr. Emily Werthman, the manager of the Johns Hopkins Burn Center in Baltimore, the burns caused by these toys can be severe and require medical attention. “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 said.

The toys, which are designed to provide a calming and soothing experience for children, can explode when heated, causing scalding hot liquid to splash onto the child’s skin. The burns can be incredibly painful and may require hospitalization.

Prevention and Treatment

To prevent these types of burns, parents should talk to their children about the dangers of microwaving these toys and supervise their use. If a child does suffer a burn, the first step is to remove the hot gel using a clean towel with cool water, and then cool the wound with cool running water.

Experts also recommend that parents be aware of the risks associated with these toys and take steps to prevent their children from microwaving them. This includes monitoring their social media activity and having open conversations with them about the dangers of these trends.

Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.