Twitter loves roasting babies. Sometimes, it’s all in good fun, like when parents list all the ways infants annoy the hell out of them. But sometimes, tongue-in-cheek teasing crosses the line to become mean-spirited bullying, like people who thought it was extremely funny to throw cheese at their confused, defenseless kids. And unfortunately, these casually cruel pranksters are once again making babies the butt of the joke in a viral thread that makes fun of what babies look like when they’re getting X-ray’d.
“I just found out this is how they X-ray small children and I can’t stop laughing,” user Professor Finesser tweeted on April 26, along with three photos of young kids squished into some sort of clear tube contraption.
Apparently, the device is something known as a Pigg O Stat, which children between the ages of 12 months and three years old are put in for X-rays to keep them immobilized while also protecting them from exposure to harmful radiation.
And while the Pigg O Stat is practical, it’s clearly uncomfortable, and even frightening, for many of the kids who were forced to endure the strange procedure. But that didn’t stop the masses from quickly chiming in on the original post with everything from “clever” captions to pictures of their own kids squished inside the X-ray equipment.
I just found out this is how they X-ray small children and I can’t stop laughing pic.twitter.com/crNsjYhtpK
— Professor Finesser (@mowziii) April 27, 2019
In the photos shared by other parents, the kids all have a similar expression on their faces: a mixture of wide-eyed confusion, shock, and fear.
My son 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/RXfkVLNjFH
— jü 🌻 (@__kca) April 27, 2019
Glad I’m not the only one who finds this hilarious pic.twitter.com/nLTPoGr5bs
— HAYBALE (@_hayden28) April 29, 2019
Another person even compared the babies to the scene in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when Augustus Gloop gets stuck in the chocolate test tube. It’s all very funny until you remember that Gloop was essentially being punished by Wonka for his gluttony.
— Lauren (@HPBitchcraft) April 27, 2019
While most people were laughing over the pictures, some parents whose children had used the Pigg O Stat said that the experience was anything but funny, with some calling it “traumatizing” for their babies.
My 1st kid had 1 of these. They didn’t warn me. I bawled my eyes out when they put him in it because he was so scared. The pics are hella funny, but man being there in person is torture. U feel helpless…& the kid looks at you like they’re gonna mollywhop you after they get out!
— Naturally Phenomenal (@Mtntop_Climber) April 27, 2019