Viral TikTok Jolly Rancher Grape Recipe Hospitalizes Boy with Severe Burns, Sparks Safety Warning

A mother from the Pittsburgh area is grappling with guilt and the aftermath of a trending TikTok recipe that led to her 9-year-old's hospitalization with severe burns.

Christina Blackstone's 9-year-old, Caidan, suffered severe burns from a viral TikTok trend. She wishes she hadn't seen the video, which turned a fun activity into a trip to the hospital. Caidan still struggles with hand function. Dr. Aballay warns about the burn risks of molten candy, urging caregivers to act immediately and avoid ice.

The Melted Candy Dilemma

After getting the viral idea from TikTok, Christina accidentally spilled the molten Jolly Ranchers onto Caidan's hand, leading to horrifying consequences. She instinctively pulled the hardening candy off, but not without causing painful burns that may require skin grafting and could even harm the nerves, according to Dr. Aballay.

After nearly three weeks of hand exercise rehab, Caidan still struggles to use his hand. Christina reported that he still practices exercises like squeezing a stress ball and doing finger touches, but thankfully, his skin is growing back along with his fingernails. However, Christina still feels terrible about the incident.

Every moment of the activity reportedly brought new challenges, as Caidan's hand continued to struggle in recovering its functionality.

Dr. Aballay's Urgent Warning

Due to the alarming increase in patients with serious burns from the candy trend, Dr. Aballay is speaking out to prevent further incidents. He emphasized the extreme temperature of the molten candy, which can cause severe burns similar to boiling water in a short amount of time. Christina revealed that the doctor warned her that if she hadn't removed the candy promptly, Caidan would have suffered a third-degree burn with potential nerve damage.

Dr. Aballay urges caregivers to take immediate action if they witness a blister, as this indicates a second-degree burn. He advises against applying ice to the area and instead recommends placing the burn in lukewarm water to cool down the skin's temperature.