Choking for Fun?

23 Feb

Posted by: Cara in: Adverse Events, Injuries

There’s a new threat to America’s youth, and it’s more dangerous than smoking. It’s choking, and yes, some children are doing it for fun.

According to a new study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, choking can create a brief high for children, much like the high that cigarettes create. However, choking can cause instantaneous injury or death, whereas smoking injuries usually surface over time. More than 80 children have died in the past 12 years from playing choking games.

Choking games are usually played with another child, and they choke each other, or they create a noose to lean against to choke themselves. The goal is to receive a high from having blood and oxygen cut off from the brain, and choking usually results in temporary unconsciousness. However, this unconsciousness can lead to serious injury or death.

Most of the victims of the choking game are boys between the ages of 11 and 16 years of age. Almost every child who died was alone when playing the game. People playing the game can become unconscious in a matter of seconds, and after three minutes of choking, people begin to lose memory, balance and basic abilities. Serious injuries include coma, seizure, eye hemorrhages, and concussions during loss of consciousness.

Parents who are worried that their children might be playing the choking game should look for: