An Alabama teenager and his family are warning about the dangers of a viral social media trend after he suffered third-degree burns when a microwaved sensory toy exploded. Eli Blackmon, now 13, was 11 when he saw videos on TikTok showing people putting NeeDoh squishy toys in the microwave in order to soften them.

Viral Trend Turns Deadly

The hot gel caused third-degree burns on the boy’s neck and chest. Blackmon recalled feeling extreme pain after the injury. “I thought I was going to die. I kept telling my parents, ‘I don’t want to die, I’m sorry,’ and I that I loved them,” he said.

Blackmon was transported by ambulance to the emergency department at the local children’s hospital, and was later sent to the burn unit for wound care and debridement. His mother, Fallon Blackmon, said, “With how severe the burn was, they would typically recommend skin grafts, but they wouldn’t consider it for him because of the risks to his airway.”

Blackmon had weekly visits with the burn unit for four months, during which the doctors scraped off dead skin and performed wound care. The teen also developed a rash from the bandages, which quickly turned into a staph infection.

Warning to Parents

Now, the teen and his mother aim to help prevent other families from going through the same ordeal. “If you purchase these types of toys, please just mention this trend and not to do it,” she urged parents. “Even if they don’t have social media, kids in school are hearing it from other kids.”

Blackmon’s advice to other kids who may be thinking about participating in this social media trend is simple: “Don’t do it! It’s stupid! It causes so much pain and other problems.”

A spokesperson for TikTok USDS Joint Venture previously shared with Fox News Digital that any content that “promotes dangerous behavior” and may lead to serious injury is considered a violation of the platform’s Community Guidelines.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.