Can you microwave a NeeDoh? No. Here's why

What happens when you heat one

Squishies like NeeDoh are a sealed skin filled with gel or dough. Heat builds pressure inside. The surface can feel fine to touch, so kids squeeze it, and it splits. The hot filling clings to skin, which is why the burns are so deep.

How many kids have been hurt?

The Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow treated six children with injuries linked to the trend over eight months, and some needed surgery including skin grafts. One eight-year-old needed weeks of treatment and a graft after a toy burst across his chest and hand. Doctors in the US have warned about the same thing, and a class action lawsuit has been filed in California against NeeDoh's maker over heat-related burn risks.

What NeeDoh says

Schylling, which makes NeeDoh, says its toys should never be cut open, eaten, heated, frozen or microwaved, and that misusing them this way is dangerous and could cause injury. It says it has worked with TikTok to remove videos showing it. Fakes are worse: they often skip the safety testing and warning labels altogether. See our squishy recall tracker.

What to tell your kids

• No heat, ever. Not the microwave, not the radiator, not a hairdryer, not a hot bath.
• Squishies stay out of the kitchen. It takes away the temptation.
• A split or leaking squishy goes in the bin. Don't try to fix it.
• Don't go looking for the videos. UK schools have advised parents not to search for the challenge, because every search tells the app to show it to more people.

If your child gets burned

Follow NHS advice:

1. Hold the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes, as soon as you can. No creams, oils or butter, and don't burst blisters.
2. Take off clothing or jewellery near the burn, unless it's stuck to the skin.
3. Once it's cooled, lay cling film over it. Don't wrap it round.
4. Call 999 if the burn is large or deep, or on the face. Call NHS 111 for advice, especially for a child under 5.