Australia: Squid Game-inspired 'Honeycomb Challenge' lands 3 kids in hospital

Squid Game might be gripping audiences across the world, but it is also sparking concern among some people. After teachers in schools of Belgium and England sent messages to students' parents to warn them of the tasks from the show being attempted by kids, now children are suffering injuries. A 14-year-old recently sustained a burn injury while attempting the 'Honeycomb Challenge'. This is one of the three cases related to attempting the game that took place in Australia. 

The challenge involves making shapes on 'dalgona', which is a thin sweet sheet made out of melted sugar and baking powder, with the help of a needle. One has to perform the task by ensuring that that the dalgona does not break. This is one of the childhood games that was shown in the show which revolves around a dangerous competition involving life and death as debt-ridden contestants play for massive prize money.   

Kid suffers injury after Honeycomb Challenge goes wrong

A Sydney-based teenager, Aiden Higgie, as per a report on Daily Telegraph, was at the receiving end of the viral challenge. The 14-year-old was also influenced by videos of the Honeycomb Challenge going viral on TikTok. He too decided to try it, from a recipe he found on the video platform that involved water, bicarb soda, and sugar in a plastic cup.

However, when he tried to melt the mix in a non-microwave safe cup, the mixture exploded in his hand. The melted matter then flowed down his leg from the knee. As per the report, doctors feared that Aiden would need a skin graft since he suffered first-degree burns on his hand, as well as nerve damage and deep burns on his leg. The kid will now have to use a pressure bandage for a year. 

His mother could not believe that attempting such a task would cause such a serious injury while sharing that it was hard for children to share the difference between non-microwave and microwave cups, which were present at their home.  

Aiden was the third child to be treated at the Westmead Children's hospital in Sydney for trying the challenge and two other cases were reported in other parts of Australia. He has now urged people to not try the challenge unless having parents present with them for supervision.