Once a toy becomes popular, every kid wants to get their hands on one.
When fidget spinners, a small twirling gadget, started appearing in almost every store, kids couldn't get enough of them.
At the time, some stores couldn't keep up with demand!
The toy has been around for years, mostly used by kids with autism or ADHD, but since last year almost every kid found this simple gadget to be entertaining.
Lucky for parents, fidget spinners are super cheap, usually costing less than $5.
But there are downsides to this seemingly calming device...
Warnings Issued
At the height of its popularity, fidget spinners were asked to only be given to children above the age of four.
The small batteries and ball bearings are considered a serious chocking hazard.
That being said, there have been cases were older children have swallowed these pieces.
In May 2017, a 10-year-old girl choked on part of her fidget spinner and had to get the piece surgically removed.
There have also been cases where a fidget spinner caught on fire after being charged for less than half an hour.
Parents are now careful to not plug in these devices in for long periods of time and continue to advise their kids not to swallow these pieces, but there is another hidden danger that many don't know about.
The Exploding Gadget
Last June, John Harris from Mississippi was playing with a fidget spinner with his son when it suddenly exploded.
In a viral Facebook post he admitted that he was holding an air hose and playing with the spinner by spraying compressed air across it.
The plastic toy then hit his son's upper lip, which needed 30 stitches.
"I was holding the spinner and the air hose when it happened. We had been playing with it for a while and all of a sudden the plastic on the fidget spinner exploded. We are at the ER now waiting to have stitches. I am sharing so no one else has the same stupid idea that I had. We were lucky it missed his eyes. It could have been much worse."
Apparently, experimenting with compressed air to propel a fidget spinner is becoming a popular trend.
It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt. Make sure you advise your kids to hold the gadget away from their face and to not try any unusual tricks.
Share this story to raise awareness about the dangers of fidget spinners!
[H/T: Asia One / Newsner]
