Overview
- The Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow has treated six children with injuries linked to the microwaving trend over the past eight months, and some patients have required surgery including skin grafts.
- Medical teams explain many squishy toys contain sealed polyvinyl alcohol or maltose gel that can build steam when heated, so the outer surface may feel cool while the trapped contents become scalding hot.
- Two children treated in May illustrate the harm: eight-year-old Joseph Erskine needed weeks of care and a skin graft after a toy burst across his chest and hand, and 11-year-old Scarlet Rowe suffered burns to her face and eyelid.
- Burns specialists warn the sticky hot gel clings to skin, which can deepen and prolong tissue damage and lead to long rehabilitation, scar management and activity limits such as prolonged sun avoidance over grafts.
- Hospitals are urging parents to monitor and talk with children about online content, avoid heating these toys, and note that at least one retailer recall over a separate safety worry has been reported while similar cases have been flagged internationally.