Child Suffers Burns from Popular Toy Misuse, Mom Warns Others

Caleb Chabolla, a nine-year-old from Illinois, is on the mend after sustaining second-degree burns from a toy mishap. Last month, Caleb, a fourth-grader, was injured when heating a NeeDoh toy in the microwave. The NeeDoh, akin to a squishy stress ball, is marketed as a “gratifying super soft, super stretchy dough-filled groovy glob.”

In a distressing incident, shortly after microwaving the toy to soften it, Caleb squeezed it, causing it to explode in his face. Whitney Grubb, Caleb’s mother, remarked, “I heard him screaming loudly and saw him take off running toward the bathroom, and he just kept yelling, ‘it burns, it burns.’” Upon examination, she discovered the right side of his face covered with a thick gel and bright red skin underneath.

Unable to alleviate the pain by washing the substance off, Grubb rushed Caleb to the emergency room. He was subsequently transferred via ambulance to the Loyola Burn Center and stayed overnight for treatment. The medical team ‘debrided’ the wound, a process that involves cleaning by removing dead or damaged tissue. Due to swelling that closed Caleb’s eye, an ophthalmologist ensured there was no eye injury.

Doctors informed Grubb that they had handled similar cases recently, as the trend of heating NeeDohs had circulated on TikTok. “Caleb had heard about it through word of mouth through friends at school,” Grubb shared.

Following a fortnight of recovery and diligent wound care, Caleb has returned to school. “His face is looking a lot better,” Grubb stated, adding, “There are a few spots that are still healing, but the majority of his face is pretty healed over.” Caleb continues applying vitamin E lotion and sunscreen to protect his healing skin.

Grubb hopes to alert other parents to the risks associated with microwaving toys like the NeeDoh. She acknowledged, “It’s hard to micromanage every little thing your kid does, and unfortunately, kids are going to experiment and try things — they don’t know the risks of these kinds of things.”

In the wake of this incident, Fox News Digital reached out to both the toy manufacturer and the Loyola Burn Center for comments. This cautionary tale serves as a reminder of the potential dangers everyday objects can pose when misused, advocating increased awareness and supervision to prevent similar accidents.