Posted on 02/10/2006 6:23:57 AM PST by Dane
Deadly 'Game' Claims Local Boy's Life
Sometimes called the "fainting game" or the "pass out game," doctors say adolescents are using a belt, leash, rope or necktie to cut off oxygen to their brains to get a head rush -- not realizing the deadly consequences to this so-called game Signs that ar child may be engaging in the choking game include: bruised necks, bloodshot eyes and severe headaches
Marty Griffin Reporting
(KDKA) PITTSBURGH Doctors are calling the "Choking Game" a major problem with teenagers across the country; in fact, in the last week alone, it claimed the lives of two 12-year-old boys in Connecticut and Tennessee.
Now this so-called game has hit home with the death of a Mt. Lebanon teenager.
The thirteen-year-old boy's mother found his body Monday night. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner has ruled the cause of death as "asphyxiation by hanging."
While the manner of death is still pending, the boy's father told KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin that he did not commit suicide.
Lisa Katz knew the eighth-grader well, describing him as a sweet and kind youngster.
"It's devastating," Katz adds, "It's horrific… to lose a child in this senseless manner."
After hearing the news, Katz says she immediately started talking to her kids about the "choking game."
Sometimes called the "fainting game" or the "pass out game," doctors say adolescents are using a belt, leash, rope or necktie to cut off oxygen to their brains to get a head rush -- not realizing the deadly consequences to this so-called game.
Experts believe this so-called game may be claiming hundreds of deaths a year – many of which may be incorrectly ruled suicides.
"We have seen many of our patients who have engaged in this game," says Dr. Michelle Seliner. "There is no 'how to manual' on how to safely strangle yourself to the point of receiving a high. It's a dangerous, dangerous behavior."
Katz agrees, saying all parents need to learn from this tragedy.
"You can't make assumptions it's not my child," Katz adds. "You can't make the assumption that we live in the district that's upper middle class and educated families and therefore it's not gonna touch us. But this happens and it's happened to our kids and it's preventable."
Experts say parents can watch for certain signs that their child may be engaging in the choking game – including bruised necks, bloodshot eyes and severe headaches.
The best way to prevent this risky behavior is for parents to talk to their children and let them know the choking game is anything but a game
Auto-erotic asphyxiation
Next, the Amputation Game!
Oh I have heard from so many grieving mothers who are trying to cope with this. It seems ages 13 and 14 are particularly vulnerable but kids as young as 9-10 have died from this.
No it's not about masturbation anymore (althought this is a variant)... kids gossip to each other and chat on the internet about the "choking game', the "euphoric buzz" of depriving your brain of oxygen and then feeling it come back. Except the youngsters miscalculate their ability to maintain conscious control over being able to come back.
If you have a child be aware, be afraid, and be very proactively vigilant.
Just like that nice fellow from INXS . . .
Natural Selection at work.
This is a horrible thing that children are doing to themselves. They are doing it for the rush. Every parent should sit down with their kids today and tell them how dangerous this activity is and how it can easily kill them.
Yes, it is a very stupid way to die but kids that age do really stupid things and think they will live forever.
I would not Darwin Award this kid - it is just too tragic.
Whatever happened to just smoking a doob and listening to Pink Floyd, Yes, or Zeppelin? Violence, pain, and stupidity are in, so it seems.
This is just cleaning out the gene pool.
Yes sad, but it is a Darwin.
Wow, you must have grown up in the late 60's and early 70's. My kids, 19 and 21 do just that. We listened to those bands while they were growing up, Cream, Jefferson Airplane, Grateful Dead, Spirit, Donovan, etc. they love that music, nothing like it since!!
Yeah, I have to agree with you here. This isn't sucking down the gas in whipped cream cans.
From the article: Signs that ar child may be engaging in the choking game include: bruised necks, bloodshot eyes and severe headaches
To your point, I would have to think that low IQs or an extreme devoid of common sense are in there somewhere too.
We were doing this on the playground in 1963 & 1964.
When discussed at home, we were warned that it could do permanent damage to the heart.
No mention of death back then.
I would not Darwin Award this kid - it is just too tragic.
As a kid, and I did some very, very stupid things, this would scare me and I never would have even considered it.
Stupid is one thing. Trifling with your life is another. This is "you can get cancer from smoking" accelerated into "getting cancer and dying" in a matter of minutes.
Somehow smoking a doob and listening to violent hip-hop just don't seem to mesh too well apparently. I'm sure it's an "unresolveable" logical exercise of sorts. LOL
For clarification, we were holding our breath in crouched position, and sometimes kids would pass out.
Never used strangulation devices around the neck.
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