Parents everywhere are worried about DIY slime after multiple kids are burned

We asked the experts whether you should be concerned about this latest obsession

We asked the experts whether you should be concerned about this latest obsession

Parents everywhere are worried about DIY slime after multiple kids are burned

We asked the experts whether you should be concerned about this latest obsession

Kids love slime. It's no secret, but their fascination with the ooey-gooey toy is reaching official craze levels. Elmer's Glue, a key ingredient in many DIY versions, won't stay on the shelves. Some entrepreneurial youngsters even started their own slime businesses, making hundreds of dollars in after-school dealings. For the uninitiated, homemade slime usually calls for water, glue and Borax, a household cleaner. Kids love squeezing and kneading the squishy mess, but the DIY magic isn't all fun and games. Several children have suffered horrific injuries after making the goo, and all signs pointed to Borax, a mineral also called sodium borate.One 11-year-old from Rockland, Massachusetts, allegedly developed third-degree burns while mixing up the concoction. "She was crying in pain, 'My hands hurt, my hands hurt,'" mom Siobhan Quinn told WCVB. "And we looked at them and they were covered in blisters."Another parent took to Facebook after her daughter DeeJay suffered similar injuries. "She started with blisters, then her skin peeled and now it's burnt from chemical burns," Rebekha D'Stephano posted. "Three weeks later we are looking at plastic surgery on her hands from a burns department at the hospital."Some children suffer nothing but sticky fingers, but the rare but severe injuries point to a much bigger danger. Dr. Robin Jacobson, a pediatrician at NYU Langone Medical Center, warns families to stay away from the white powder altogether."Borax can cause burns, especially when you touch it multiple times," she says. "When you're mixing it up, Borax can get in the air and irritate your airways. If kids put their hands in their mouths by mistake, it could be toxic."But Dr. Kyran Quinlan, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention, takes a different approach. "Borax is a mild irritant," he says. "I love that kids are having fun with slime, and it is generally safe."In fact, even he can't escape the goo. "This craze has hit my own family," Quinlan admits. "We have some newly-made slime at the house now thanks to one of the kids." He still advises supervising young children, and taking precautions like wearing gloves and washing hands.Dr. Rajani Katta, a board-certified dermatologist, believes those safeguards could explain why some kids experience worse reactions than others. "If you're using full-strength Borax and not diluting it properly, then it's going to be irritating to your skin," she says. Following the recipe carefully — with an adult — could make the difference between safe playtime and a trip to the emergency room.Even mixed properly, Borax can harm certain children. "If you have no cuts or scrapes, eczema, dermatitis or inflammation, then that's good thing," she says. "These substances are poorly absorbed if your skin is intact, but if your skin is burned or irritated, then it does get in." Wearing vinyl or dishwashing gloves could protect sensitive skin, but Katta believes toddlers shouldn't be near the stuff at all, even with the proper precautions.Borax isn't meant to be kneaded, touched and held constantly. 20 Mule Team Borax, a popular brand marketed as a laundry booster, even warns against the potential dangers itself. "Repeated or prolonged excessive exposure with skin can result in irritation," the safety information states. "The bottom line is that it's a cleaning product and it's not made to be played with," says Carolyn Forté, Director of the Cleaning Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. "Be smart about it, use it under supervision and make sure kids wash their hands."Even better, erase those worries altogether by following a different recipe. Jacobson advises buying alternative ingredients that provide all the fun of ooey-gooey slime, without the potential danger. These DIYs from WikiHow use dish soap, corn starch or condensed milk to create the same addictive texture. Another goop tutorial on Buzzfeed calls for liquid starch and broken Styrofoam. Whatever steps you follow, keep an eye on the kids — you might even be tempted to join them.

Kids love slime. It's no secret, but their fascination with the ooey-gooey toy is reaching official craze levels. , a key ingredient in many DIY versions, won't stay on the shelves. Some entrepreneurial youngsters even started their own , making hundreds of dollars in after-school dealings.

For the uninitiated, homemade slime usually calls for water, glue and Borax, a household cleaner. Kids love squeezing and kneading the squishy mess, but the DIY magic isn't all fun and games. Several children have suffered horrific injuries after making the goo, and all signs pointed to Borax, a mineral also called sodium borate.

One 11-year-old from Rockland, Massachusetts, allegedly developed third-degree burns while mixing up the concoction. "She was crying in pain, 'My hands hurt, my hands hurt,'" mom Siobhan Quinn told . "And we looked at them and they were covered in blisters."

Another parent took to Facebook after her daughter DeeJay suffered similar injuries. "She started with blisters, then her skin peeled and now it's burnt from chemical burns," Rebekha D'Stephano . "Three weeks later we are looking at plastic surgery on her hands from a burns department at the hospital."

Some children suffer nothing but sticky fingers, but the rare but severe injuries point to a much bigger danger. , a pediatrician at NYU Langone Medical Center, warns families to stay away from the white powder altogether.

"Borax can cause burns, especially when you touch it multiple times," she says. "When you're mixing it up, Borax can get in the air and irritate your airways. If kids put their hands in their mouths by mistake, it could be toxic."

But Dr. Kyran Quinlan, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' , takes a different approach. "Borax is a mild irritant," he says. "I love that kids are having fun with slime, and it is generally safe."

In fact, even he can't escape the goo. "This craze has hit my own family," Quinlan admits. "We have some newly-made slime at the house now thanks to one of the kids." He still advises supervising young children, and taking precautions like wearing gloves and washing hands.

Kate Bennis

Dr. Rajani Katta, a board-certified dermatologist, believes those safeguards could explain why some kids experience worse reactions than others.

"If you're using full-strength Borax and not diluting it properly, then it's going to be irritating to your skin," she says. Following the recipe carefully — with an adult — could make the difference between safe playtime and a trip to the emergency room.

Even mixed properly, Borax can harm certain children. "If you have no cuts or scrapes, eczema, dermatitis or inflammation, then that's good thing," she says. "These substances are poorly absorbed if your skin is intact, but if your skin is burned or irritated, then it does get in." Wearing vinyl or dishwashing gloves could protect sensitive skin, but Katta believes toddlers shouldn't be near the stuff at all, even with the proper precautions.

It's a cleaning product and it's not made to be played with.

Borax isn't meant to be kneaded, touched and held constantly. , a popular brand marketed as a laundry booster, even warns against the potential dangers itself. "Repeated or prolonged excessive exposure with skin can result in irritation," the states.

"The bottom line is that it's a cleaning product and it's not made to be played with," says Carolyn Forté, Director of the Cleaning Lab at the . "Be smart about it, use it under supervision and make sure kids wash their hands."

Even better, erase those worries altogether by following a different recipe. Jacobson advises buying alternative ingredients that provide all the fun of ooey-gooey slime, without the potential danger.

These DIYs from use dish soap, corn starch or condensed milk to create the same addictive texture. Another goop tutorial on calls for liquid starch and broken Styrofoam. Whatever steps you follow, keep an eye on the kids — you might even be tempted to join them.

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