'Serious burn' warning after children heat squishy toys in microwaves

Several children in Scotland have suffered serious burns after trying to heat popular squishy toys in microwaves, which caused them to explode.

Videos circulating on social media show the toys, which are soft and easy to squeeze, being heated in an attempt to make them even softer.

However the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC) in Glasgow said it has now treated six children with injuries linked to the trend over the past eight months - with some of the children needing surgery, including skin grafts.

This is due to pressure building inside the toy, increasing the risk it may explode and release the hot gel inside which can stick to the skin and cause severe burns.

Scarlet Rowe, age 11, from Irvine in North Ayrshire, was treated for burns to her face and eyelid after an incident in May.

Her mother Gina said: "We didn't realise what had happened at first, it just looked like slime on her face. It was only after a few minutes we realised it had been heated and was burning her skin.

"The swelling was so bad that we weren't sure what the outcome would be.

"Thankfully, no graft was required but it is so close to her eye that this could have been a lot worse."

Meanwhile eight-year-old Joseph Erskine, from Clackmannanshire, needed weeks of treatment and a skin graft after a toy burst across his chest and hand in May.

His mother Stephanie Ewing said her son used a towel to wipe off the burning gel, removing part of the skin in the process.

Stephanie recalled: "He was saying that his squishy burnt him and we initially thought he meant a chemical burn. Then he told us that he had put it in the microwave.

"We were shocked as it had never crossed our minds that he would do that with a toy. He has never used the microwave before.

"One of us had heated something earlier and so the clock was already set at 40 seconds. Joseph just hit start."

She said Joseph had seen the trend online and she urged parents to chat about it with their children and discourage them from doing something similar.

As the burn would not heal by itself, he has required a graft, where skin was taken from his thigh and then applied to his chest.

He must also avoid direct sunlight to the graft area for the next two years.

Burns specialists said the injuries caused by heated squishy toys can be particularly severe because the gel inside can remain extremely hot and get stuck to the skin, prolonging the burn.

Sharon Ramsay, a burns nurse at the RHC, said: "Unfortunately, we are seeing a growing number of children with preventable injuries linked to this trend.

"When these toys are heated, the contents can explode and stick to the skin, causing deep burns.

"These injuries can be very serious and may require long-term treatment, including surgery and rehabilitation.

"In some cases, children are left with permanent scarring. We strongly urge parents and carers to speak to their children about the risks."