Oklahoma City boy burned after trying viral NeeDoh microwave trend

An Oklahoma City family is warning parents after they say a viral social media trend led to serious injuries for their 11-year-old son.

Koltyn Preston says he saw videos online showing people microwaving NeeDoh stress toys to make them softer. He says he tried it himself and within seconds, it went wrong.

“I put it in the microwave,” said Koltyn. “It wouldn’t come off and it was burning.”

The hot gel inside the toy splattered across his face and neck.

His mother, Kami Gill, was in another room when she suddenly heard him scream.

“I’m sitting on my bed taking a bite of my sandwich and I hear this scream,” said Gill. “I’m like, what in the world could have happened?”

She says she rushed to help him and quickly realized the severity of the injury.

“It was terrifying and terrible,” said Gill.

Koltyn was taken to the hospital, where he stayed overnight. Gill says he has since undergone multiple wound care appointments and is still recovering weeks later.

“If it would have got in his eyes, he’d be blind,” she said. “He’s been under anesthesia twice to scrub the wounds.”

Gill also says that when she later looked at the packaging, she noticed a warning label that was difficult to see.

“There’s a giant barcode over the warning label,” she said. “If you’re not looking for it, you don’t see it.”

Doctors say they’ve received questions about similar online trends involving the toys and warn that they should never be heated.

“The material inside heats up very fast and it can blow up,” said Dr. Ryan Brown at OU Children’s. “It can explode in the microwave or once you get it out it can burn your hands or explode into your face.”

Gill is sharing her family’s experience in hopes that other parents will talk with their children about what they see online before trying viral trends themselves.

The manufacturer, Schylling, says microwaving, heating or freezing NeeDoh products is dangerous and can cause injury.

The company says it has worked with TikTok to remove videos showing misuse and has added safety warnings to packaging and online listings.