French authorities have launched an investigation after an eight-year-old child suffered serious burns while playing with a popular squishy stress ball, [reports](https://nos.nl/artikel/2626210-frankrijk-start-onderzoek-nadat-squishy-ontploft-in-gezicht-van-kind) NOS. The incident occurred on July 24, 2026. According to the prosecutor's office, the boy sustained second-degree burns to his face and chest. At the time of the incident, he was playing with an elastic ball that contained a soft, easily deformable substance. According to the child's mother, she bought the *Cool Mix Supergel* toy for him at a Smyths Toys store. Later, the woman shared the incident on social media, but the post was subsequently deleted. The mother recalled that her son ran to her in a panic. She tried to remove the gel that was around his mouth, but along with the substance, the skin began to come off. At that moment, the woman realized that her child had sustained serious injuries. As reported by the regional newspaper La Voix du Nord, the boy's mother contacted the police. Now, the prosecutor's office must determine the exact cause of the incident. The investigation will seek to establish whether it was an accidental injury or if the child's injuries were related to a possible defect in the toy. ## Similar toys have already raised concerns At the end of June, a 13-year-old girl was injured in the American state of West Virginia. A silicone stress ball exploded in a car that was parked under the scorching sun, CBS reported. The toxicology center that the victim contacted stated that such incidents are not isolated. Just in the previous week, specialists received about six reports of similar cases. The incident occurred against the backdrop of growing concerns about the safety of certain types of squishy toys. As early as July, several stores stopped selling so-called *squishy dumplings* after the publication of a study by the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. The study showed that heating such toys could release potentially harmful substances. Among the compounds identified were xylene, derivatives of benzene, and naphthalene—substances associated with petroleum products. After the publication of the study's results, some retailers decided to remove such products from their inventory. ## Concerns extend beyond this toy Experts warn that issues may also pertain to other popular stress toys—the so-called squishy dumplings, designed to resemble colorful Asian dumplings. Thanks to TikTok videos, they have become a sales hit. However, a study by toxicologist Jan Tytgat from the Catholic University of Leuven, conducted for the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, found that some of these toys contain potentially dangerous chemicals. ## What scientists discovered Experts found xylene, benzene derivatives, and naphthalene in the toys. "These substances are naturally present in crude oil. That is why the toys have a characteristic chemical smell," Tytgat explained. According to him, such compounds can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, attention problems, and irritation of the respiratory tract in children. Prolonged skin contact with such substances is also a significant concern. "Children constantly play with their hands. This can lead to allergic reactions, redness, and itching. Moreover, these substances dissolve the skin's natural fatty layer, making it drier and less protected from sunlight," the specialist warned. ## "It's like getting your hands dirty with gasoline" The toxicologist compared playing with such toys to a situation where a person accidentally gets gasoline on their hands while refueling a car. "Adults don’t touch gasoline with bare hands unless necessary. It doesn’t make you feel sick right away, but it can’t be called healthy. These toys give me the same feeling," he noted. The expert recommends that parents throw away toys with a strong chemical smell. If there is no smell or it is barely noticeable, the risk, in his opinion, is significantly lower. The investigation must determine why the toy exploded and whether its contents truly caused the child's burns. Authorities also need to find out if the incident was an isolated case or if it indicates safety issues with this product.