Popular And Trendy Toys Pose Potential Burn Risk According To Pediatricians

I love my Nee Doh items- I totally "get" why they are so popular. I have a squishy ball, a cube, and a giant cube that is perfect when I really need to get some big stress-relieving squishes in. Nee Doh, and other similar squishy toys like Dumpling Squishes, are so popular that they frequently sell out, with some stores putting limits on how many people can buy at a time. However, they do come with a potentially serious risk if misused or mistreated.

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How Squishy Toys Can Cause Burns

Children do...strange things. I'm not judging. I had a bug graveyard for a while and would make little wooden crosses for every dead bug I found. But I digress. Some children have been microwaving squishy gel toys, which causes the liner of the toy to weaken, meaning it can easily burst molten hot, sticky gel onto a child, which can, of course, cause extremely serious burns. An ER doctor at a children's hospital recently shared some harrowing cases she's seen of such burns. You can watch her video here.

Another Risk When You Live In Texas And Other Hot States

Your child may never have thought to put a toy in the microwave, but I bet they've left some toys behind in the car. Even I've left my Nee Doh ball in my vehicle. Cars in Texas can reach extremely high temperatures, especially on dashboards. In fact, in 100 degree weather, temperatures in vehicles can reach over 140 degrees in an hour, and even milder temperatures can have the interior of a car hot enough to damage items left inside. So you must ensure that your children are not leaving squishy gel toys inside the vehicle (or outside) to maintain the integrity of the toy's outer layer. I was able to find at least one reported case of a teen burned this way, and there may be more.

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These toys are great. I took a break mid-writing this to squish my ball a few times. However, I think I will leave one at work and keep one at home, so I don't end up damaging my toy (or myself). And now I have an excuse to get one in another color.