TikTok trend Needoh cube: Boy burned after social media trend; Loyola Medicine shares urgent warning
CHICAGO — A 9-year-old boy in Illinois is on the mend two weeks after putting a simple toy in the microwave.
In a matter of seconds, it exploded, causing burns to his face.
“He was crying and just yelling, ‘It burns, it burns,'” said Whitney Grubb, Caleb Chabolla’s mother.
Grubb says her son’s Needoh Cube had burst. Inside the popular sensory toy, a thick, gel-like substance became hot because of the microwave and stuck to his face.
“The right side of his face was kind of melting off, basically,” Grubb said.
Nine-year-old Caleb was left with severe burns after following a TikTok video of people microwaving a toy to make it more pliable.
Loyola Medicine
Caleb says he doesn’t remember much after the explosion. But he does remember where he got the idea to put it in the microwave.
“It’s like a stress toy. I didn’t know it was a trend on TikTok before, because my friend did it before, but she didn’t get hurt,” Caleb said.
The idea is to warm up the toy and make it more pliable. Caleb’s mom says her son didn’t hear about it directly from social media, and yet, her son still wound up the victim of a dangerous trend.
“These people don’t know the repercussions of what these challenges and goofy trends can do to kids, especially the younger ones,” Grubb said.
Loyola University Medical Center in Illinois says Caleb is the fourth case they have seen this year involving Needoh Cubes.
“We see the negative results of TikTok challenges all the time,” said Loyola University Medical Center Burn Outreach Coordinator Kelly McElligott. “The people who are getting hurt don’t necessarily post the TikToks. You’re just seeing the fun ones where it looks cool.”
The family says their message to parents and kids alike is simple.
“Sometimes, you take for granted what your knowledge is. That’s common sense to us, but not common sense to them,” Grubb said.
“Just think before you act,” Caleb said.
Although the burns were very close to his eye, Loyola Medicine said his vision will be OK, adding that the hospital was sharing Caleb’s story amid National Burn Awareness Week.
Nine-year-old Caleb was left with severe burns after following a TikTok video of people microwaving a toy to make it more pliable.
Loyola Medicine
Both Caleb and his mom are grateful for his swift recovery.
Caleb says he is ready to get back to school and tell his friends not to do what he did or do anything they see on social media without asking an adult first.
Our sister station WLS-TV in Chicago reached out to the company who makes the Needoh Cube but did not immediately hear back.
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