India, June 30 -- In the latest example of risks posed by social media trends, a seemingly harmless hack involving 'squishy' toys, which is also gaining popularity in India, is sending children to hospitals with severe burn injuries. In response to the rising number of injuries, hospitals across the USA, Australia and Scotland have begun issuing warnings.

Since early this year, popular videos of the trend shared on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Facebook have encouraged users to microwave gel-filled squishy toys, claiming the head would make them softer and more satisfying to squeeze. However, when children try heating such toys in the microwave, they risk exploding to release the hot gel inside that sticks to the skin, causing se...