Health

Shriners hospital warns that new social media challenge is causing kids to get severe burns

Shriners Children’s Boston has seen about 10 burn cases attributed to the trend.

Boston health officials are cautioning parents about a new social media trend that has caused about 10 hospital visits in recent months. Andrew Harrer

By Lindsay Shachnow

August 13, 2024

1 minute to read

Boston health officials are raising concerns about a new social media trend that has reportedly caused several hospital visits as a result of severe burns.

The trend — as seen by millions on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and other platforms — encourages viewers to make homemade Tanghulu, a Chinese candied fruit, by microwaving sugar to the melting point before dipping fruit into it, Dr. Colleen Ryan of Shriners Children’s Boston told Boston.com.

“Apparently some of the children have skipped some steps and instead of doing a glass container, they’ve used paper products,” Ryan said. “They pull it out of the microwave, and it’s stuck to the tray in the microwave, and it splatters out all over them.”

Ryan, who has been a burn surgeon for over 30 years, said she has seen an increase in children coming in with severe burn injuries as a result of spilling hot sugar.

Ryan said she has seen about 10 burn cases attributed to the social media trend within the last couple months just in Boston, and says her colleagues from around the world are seeing a similar pattern.

“I asked some of my colleagues around the country if they had seen it in an email,” she said. “I immediately got responses from all over the country, from Iowa, Virginia, North Carolina, and California, and I even got one from Australia.”

Ryan says parents should supervise their children if they intend to participate in the trend, and ensure that they utilize adequate potholders and stay away from paper products. Burns should be treated with cool, running water, she said.

“We really wanted the parents to know this was happening and be aware,” Ryan said. “One burn that we could prevent gives us the very best result for that child.”

Note: This article has been updated to denote the trend’s appearance on multiple platforms.