A 9-year-old Illinois boy narrowly escaped serious harm when he followed a popular TikTok trend that involved microwaving a toy to make it more pliable, resulting in severe burns on his face.
According to the boy's mother, Whitney Grubb, her son had put a Needoh Cube in the microwave as seen in a viral video on social media. In an instant, the cube exploded, causing the gel-like substance inside to become hot and stick to the boy's face. "The right side of his face was kind of melting off, basically," Grubb described.
Miraculously, despite the severity of the burns, the boy is recovering well at a Chicago hospital. He has already begun to share his story, urging others not to follow in his footsteps and attempting to make sense of what he did wrong.
"The people who are getting hurt don't necessarily post the TikToks," said Kelly McElligott, a burn outreach coordinator at Loyola University Medical Center, where the boy is being treated. "You're just seeing the fun ones where it looks cool."
The family's message to parents and kids alike is one of caution: think before you act. The incident highlights the dangers of social media trends that can lead to reckless behavior without considering the potential consequences.
For now, the 9-year-old boy seems grateful for his swift recovery and is already looking forward to returning to school. He has also vowed to be more mindful in the future when it comes to following online trends or trying new things without adult supervision.
The Needoh Cube's manufacturer has yet to comment on the incident, but experts like McElligott emphasize that these types of viral challenges can lead to serious harm for young people who may not fully understand the risks involved.
According to the boy's mother, Whitney Grubb, her son had put a Needoh Cube in the microwave as seen in a viral video on social media. In an instant, the cube exploded, causing the gel-like substance inside to become hot and stick to the boy's face. "The right side of his face was kind of melting off, basically," Grubb described.
Miraculously, despite the severity of the burns, the boy is recovering well at a Chicago hospital. He has already begun to share his story, urging others not to follow in his footsteps and attempting to make sense of what he did wrong.
"The people who are getting hurt don't necessarily post the TikToks," said Kelly McElligott, a burn outreach coordinator at Loyola University Medical Center, where the boy is being treated. "You're just seeing the fun ones where it looks cool."
The family's message to parents and kids alike is one of caution: think before you act. The incident highlights the dangers of social media trends that can lead to reckless behavior without considering the potential consequences.
For now, the 9-year-old boy seems grateful for his swift recovery and is already looking forward to returning to school. He has also vowed to be more mindful in the future when it comes to following online trends or trying new things without adult supervision.
The Needoh Cube's manufacturer has yet to comment on the incident, but experts like McElligott emphasize that these types of viral challenges can lead to serious harm for young people who may not fully understand the risks involved.
, I'm glad that little guy is gonna be alright! 
But, I gotta say, TikTok needs to take responsibility for this kinda stuff 
. I mean, these kids are just 9 years old, they don't know any better... it's our job as adults to set boundaries and educate them on the dangers of social media trends 
.
And what's even more worrying is that there are gonna be other kids who see this video and think it's a good idea... 
. We need to be more careful about what we share online and make sure our little ones are safe too 
.
, but I'm also hoping that TikTok takes some steps to prevent this kinda thing from happening again 
.
They think it's funny and harmless, but really it could've been life-altering. The fact that he's sharing his story now is great, but shouldn't the parents have sat him down before this whole thing happened? And isn't there some sort of parental control on TikTok to prevent these types of content from being shared in the first place?
this is so reckless and I'm glad he's gonna be okay, but like why would anyone think it's a good idea to microwave something in the first place?!?! 
i mean, the kids who are doing these viral challenges they're just showing us the fun parts not the part where you end up with 3rd degree burns on your face 
. parents need to be having conversations with their kids about online safety and critical thinking, like think before you act is so basic but it's actually super important 
. can we please get a hold of that Needoh Cube manufacturer and make them take responsibility for putting out these dangerous trends?!?!
! He just followed a viral TikTok trend and ended up with severe burns on his face... it's just crazy how quickly things can go wrong 
. And you know what really gets me? The fact that these trends are designed to make it seem like no big deal, but in reality, they're putting kids' lives at risk 
.
. This kid is lucky to be alive, and he should be grateful for that 
. But let this be a lesson to all of us: think before you act, and always prioritize your safety above all else 
!
. As a parent or guardian, it's so important to keep an eye on what your kids are doing online and have open conversations with them about social media safety 
. We need to be more mindful of these types of trends before they become super popular 
It's crazy how some kids are more willing to take risks and put themselves in harm's way without thinking about the consequences 
.
... it's always better to err on the side of caution and do our own research before trying something new or following a challenge. And what really gets me is that some people post these viral videos without considering the potential harm they could cause to others 
This incident should serve as a big ol' warning to parents and kids alike: some viral trends just aren't worth it. Let's all try to be more responsible and look out for each other online 
Kids shouldn't have to suffer because of a viral challenge. Thankfully the little guy is going to be okay, but this should be a major wake-up call for all of us! 
apparently, it's some viral TikTok thingy where you microwave a toy to make it all gel-like and stuff. 
sounds like a recipe for disaster!