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 It’s dangerous enough in groups, but without others present to
interrupt the asphyxiation children face an increased risk of loss
of consciousness and inability to stop strangulation when a noose,
belt or other ligature is being used. Nearly all deaths from the
game occur when youngsters play alone.
Solo players are also more than four times as likely to have
suicidal thoughts and more than twice as likely to suffer from
serious mental health problems compared to kids who try the choking
game in groups, researchers report in Pediatrics.
“Many kids don’t understand how dangerous this activity is,” said
study co-author Sarah Knipper, a researcher with the Oregon Health
Authority in Portland.
“A lot of kids who participate in the choking game, particularly
alone, also have depression and/or use alcohol or drugs,” Knipper
added by email.
Players typically use their hands, a belt or a tie to put pressure
on the carotid artery in the neck, temporarily limiting the flow of
oxygen and blood to the brain. The goal is to achieve a euphoric
feeling when the flow of blood and oxygen rushes back to the brain.
To understand what separates group participants from youth who play
alone, researchers examined survey data collected from almost 21,000
Oregon teens in 2011 and 2013. Participants were in eighth grade and
about 14 years old on average.
Among other things, the survey asked about physical and mental
health, nutrition, school absenteeism, sexual activity, substance
use and community characteristics. Questions on the choking game
focused on whether participants had heard of it, tried it, or done
it alone.
Overall, just 3.7 percent of teens said they had played the game.
Among those who had tried the choking game, however, roughly 18
percent said they had played alone.
Slightly less than 1 percent of teens said they had helped someone
else play the game.
About 77 percent of the survey participants had never heard of the
choking game.
One limitation of the study is that it relied on teens to accurately
recall and report if they knew about the choking game or had played
it, the authors note. In addition, because the survey is
administered only in public schools, researchers lacked data on
youth who were in juvenile detention or who had dropped out of
school.
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The findings, while distressing, aren’t surprising given the
popularity of self-harm and substance use among teens, particularly
for youth with mental health problems, said Dr. Benjamin Shain, head
of child and adolescent psychiatry at NorthShore University
HealthSystem in Chicago.
“A possible explanation for the 18 percent who tried it alone is
that suicidal teens often engage in behavior that is not intended
for suicide but carries a risk of death, partly hoping to die by
accident,” Shain, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email.
It can be hard to identify kids who play the game because there may
not be overt signs of participation, said Knipper.
However, parents should watch for physical signs like bloodshot
eyes, unexplained marks on the neck, small dots around the face,
eyelids or eyes, and frequent severe headaches, Knipper added.
Participants may also seem disoriented after spending time alone, or
leave evidence such as dog leashes, bungee cords, belts or scarves
tied to bedroom furniture or doorknobs or knotted on the floor.
“We do recommend that parents talk to their kids about it using
simple factual words,” Knipper said.
“They can ask their kids if they know what it is, if they know
anyone who has done it (or if they’ve done it themselves), and make
sure they know that it is not safe and someone could get really hurt
even if they are doing it with a group of friends,” Knipper added.
“They should stop and tell a safe adult.”
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2fhNPuf Pediatrics, online November 19, 2016.
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