The manufacturer of Hatchimals, the toy ranked one of the most popular items on children’s Christmas lists for 2017, is investigating claims a spin-off product is giving children chemical burns.
Mum, Jennifer Renee posted on her Facebook page to warn other families, after her daughter suffered a “chemical reaction” from spending only seconds in the bath with a Hatchimals bath bomb.
Her doctor said it was not an allergic reaction but a superficial burn to the skin.
Renee said she followed all the instructions on the packet, which clearly specify it is for use in the bathtub, and that it is a child-friendly item, she said: “Thought it would be fun for her because there is a toy inside.”
After placing her daughter in the bath for less than a minute, she started complaining about her skin hurting.
The family have used similar items in the past with no problems.
Renee said: “I called the company and the batch number is being investigated.”
She isn’t the only mum who has had this experience with the products, as others have started contacting her with their stories.
Katja Jobe said: “I saw your post about the bath bomb. My daughter’s face looked like your daughter. I wish I would have taken a picture.”
Lori DeAnn Frye, said: “We bought our granddaughter one of those eggs and it’s the same numbers and colour and now her hands are all red.”
A spokesperson for Spin Master, the Canadian company which manufactures the toys, told HuffPost UK: “Spin Master was made aware of the situation via a Facebook post and we are in the process of looking into the matter with the licensee company to whom Spin Master licensed the Hatchimals brand.
“We are saddened to learn about a young girl’s injuries. That said, it would be premature to comment further on the situation until we learn more.
“We are working closely with the product’s licensed manufacturer and distributor to determine whether there are any product issues.”
The product is available to purchase from the UK on international websites, such as Amazon.
This isn’t the first time the popular toy has come under fire from customers.
In December 2016, Spin Master had to defend itself against claims that Hachimal toys didn’t do the one thing they were supposed to do - hatch. Peeved off parents complained that Hatchimals had one job, and they weren’t doing it.
Then a month later, they were accused of swearing by dad, Nick Galego, who told CTV Vancouver Island: “I’m pretty sure it says ‘f―- me,’”.