Yesterday’s post was about choking and the Heimlich maneuver, but there is another way that teenagers, in particular, are choking themselves. It is absolutely abhorrent that children are playing a game called the “choking game”. This activity involves intentionally trying to strangle oneself or another, using hands or some sort of noose to briefly achieve a euphoric state. The “game” can cause seizures, headaches, bone breaks and brain injury if not death. Furthermore, almost a third of U.S. doctors have never heard of the “choking game” played by many teens, nor can they spot the tell-tale signs of the potentially lethal past-time.
A survey in the January issue of Pediatrics, which was published online Dec. 14, reports that almost one-third of family doctors and pediatrics are unaware of the “game.” And although two-thirds of physicians said the issue should be discussed during office visits, only 2 percent reported actually having done so. “Myself having seen three to four kids affected by this, it seems to me if it’s preventable and it causes death, it should be talked about,” said Dr. Nancy Bass, senior author of the paper and an associate professor of pediatrics and neurology at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland.
A report released earlier this year from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that, between 1995 and 2007, at least 82 youths died from playing the “choking game.” Prevalence data indicate that 11 to 20 percent of teenagers have played the game. This activity is not a Game! It’s a traditional activity passed on for generations through whispers of typically 9-14 year old children on playgrounds, at school, camp, and from friends. The Choking Game is played both in groups and by a single child.
The object of the ‘game’ is asphyxiation, as in, to apply pressure to restrict oxygen and/or blood flow to the brain of the victim therefore creating a desired ‘floaty’, ‘tingling’, ‘high’ sensation. The ‘high’ are the cells of the brain seizing and beginning the process of permanent cell death. When the victim becomes unconscious, the pressure is released and the secondary ‘high’ of the oxygen/blood rushing to the brain is achieved. If the victim isalone – upon unconsciousness there is no one to release the pressure and the victims own body weight continues to tighten the ligature usually resulting in death.
Unlike other risk-taking behaviors, self-choking often occurs among well-adjusted, high achieving students looking to have a sensational experience. 9 -16 is the most common age and it is predominantly male participants, although younger and older adolescents along with females are involved. They learn this activity from friends, neighbors, sibling and the Internet. The consequences are horrendous and include bruises, concussions after a fall, seizures, brain death, brain damage, retinal hemorrhage, stroke and unexpected death.
The warning signs of this deadly game will include frequent and severe headaches, bruising or red marks around the neck, bloodshot eyes and/or petechiae (tiny red dots) on the face, change in attitude, grogginess after being alone, unusual demands for privacy and curiosity about asphyxiation. Parents might want to also be aware of the other names used for this “game”, which include: 5 minutes of Heaven ~ 7 Minutes ‘Til Heaven ~ Airplaning ~ America dream (ing) ~ Black out ~ Black Hole ~ Breath Play ~ California High ~ Choke Out ~ Chocking (Game) ~ Cloud Nine ~ Dream (Game) ~ Elevator (Game) ~ Fainting game ~ Flatline game ~ Flat liner (Game) ~ Funky Chicken ~ Gasp (ing) (Game) ~ Hang (ing) Game ~ Hangman (Game) ~ Harvey Wall banger ~ High riser (Game) Hyperventilating ~ Knock-Out (Game) ~ Lions and Tigers ~ Pass(ing) -Out ~ Purple Dragon ~Rising Sun ~ Rush ~ Sleeping Game ~ Sleeper Hold ~ Snuff (Game) ~ Something dreaming ~ Space cowboy ~ Space monkey ~ Speed Dreaming ~ Suffocation (Game) Suffocation roulette ~ Teen choking game ~ Tingling game ~ Twitching Game.
Please remember to talk with your children; understand the choking game and the devastating consequences that can occur. One last tip that you may not be aware of is obvious signs in the home. These signs may include: locked or blocked bedroom/bathroom doors, ligatures; (bed sheets, belts, tee-shirts, ties, ropes) tied in strange knots and/or found in unusual places, internet history of websites or chat rooms mentioning asphyxiation or Choking Game and wear marks on furniture (i.e. bunk beds, closet rods).
WORKS CITED
http://chokinggame.net/files/Choking_Gamefactsheet.pdf
Yesterday’s post was about choking and the Heimlich maneuver, but there is another way that teenagers, in particular, are choking themselves. It is absolutely abhorrent that children are playing a game called the “choking game”. This activity involves intentionally trying to strangle oneself or another, using hands or some sort of noose to briefly achieve a euphoric state. The “game” can cause seizures, headaches, bone breaks and brain injury if not death. Furthermore, almost a third of U.S. doctors have never heard of the “choking game” played by many teens, nor can they spot the tell-tale signs of the potentially lethal past-time.
A survey in the January issue of Pediatrics, which was published online Dec. 14, reports that almost one-third of family doctors and pediatrics are unaware of the “game.” And although two-thirds of physicians said the issue should be discussed during office visits, only 2 percent reported actually having done so. “Myself having seen three to four kids affected by this, it seems to me if it’s preventable and it causes death, it should be talked about,” said Dr. Nancy Bass, senior author of the paper and an associate professor of pediatrics and neurology at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland.
A report released earlier this year from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that, between 1995 and 2007, at least 82 youths died from playing the “choking game.” Prevalence data indicate that 11 to 20 percent of teenagers have played the game. This activity is not a Game! It’s a traditional activity passed on for generations through whispers of typically 9-14 year old children on playgrounds, at school, camp, and from friends. The Choking Game is played both in groups and by a single child.
The object of the ‘game’ is asphyxiation, as in, to apply pressure to restrict oxygen and/or blood flow to the brain of the victim therefore creating a desired ‘floaty’, ‘tingling’, ‘high’ sensation. The ‘high’ are the cells of the brain seizing and beginning the process of permanent cell death. When the victim becomes unconscious, the pressure is released and the secondary ‘high’ of the oxygen/blood rushing to the brain is achieved. If the victim isalone – upon unconsciousness there is no one to release the pressure and the victims own body weight continues to tighten the ligature usually resulting in death.
Unlike other risk-taking behaviors, self-choking often occurs among well-adjusted, high achieving students looking to have a sensational experience. 9 -16 is the most common age and it is predominantly male participants, although younger and older adolescents along with females are involved. They learn this activity from friends, neighbors, sibling and the Internet. The consequences are horrendous and include bruises, concussions after a fall, seizures, brain death, brain damage, retinal hemorrhage, stroke and unexpected death.
The warning signs of this deadly game will include frequent and severe headaches, bruising or red marks around the neck, bloodshot eyes and/or petechiae (tiny red dots) on the face, change in attitude, grogginess after being alone, unusual demands for privacy and curiosity about asphyxiation. Parents might want to also be aware of the other names used for this “game”, which include: 5 minutes of Heaven ~ 7 Minutes ‘Til Heaven ~ Airplaning ~ America dream (ing) ~ Black out ~ Black Hole ~ Breath Play ~ California High ~ Choke Out ~ Chocking (Game) ~ Cloud Nine ~ Dream (Game) ~ Elevator (Game) ~ Fainting game ~ Flatline game ~ Flat liner (Game) ~ Funky Chicken ~ Gasp (ing) (Game) ~ Hang (ing) Game ~ Hangman (Game) ~ Harvey Wall banger ~ High riser (Game) Hyperventilating ~ Knock-Out (Game) ~ Lions and Tigers ~ Pass(ing) -Out ~ Purple Dragon ~Rising Sun ~ Rush ~ Sleeping Game ~ Sleeper Hold ~ Snuff (Game) ~ Something dreaming ~ Space cowboy ~ Space monkey ~ Speed Dreaming ~ Suffocation (Game) Suffocation roulette ~ Teen choking game ~ Tingling game ~ Twitching Game.
Please remember to talk with your children; understand the choking game and the devastating consequences that can occur. One last tip that you may not be aware of is obvious signs in the home. These signs may include: locked or blocked bedroom/bathroom doors, ligatures; (bed sheets, belts, tee-shirts, ties, ropes) tied in strange knots and/or found in unusual places, internet history of websites or chat rooms mentioning asphyxiation or Choking Game and wear marks on furniture (i.e. bunk beds, closet rods).
WORKS CITED
http://chokinggame.net/files/Choking_Gamefactsheet.pdf