He was seeking the moment of lightheadedness and euphoria that comes from breathing again after temporarily cutting off the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. Instead, he died. Rogg clawed at the rope as Erik hung, limp but still alive. When she could not undo the intricate slipknots, the single mother ran outside into the rain, screaming for help.
But it was too late. Erik was brain dead, and at the hospital the following day, Rogg removed her only child from life support. Hundreds of families have endured that same nightmare. In the U. More than 1, children and teens died from accidental hanging and strangulation from to , according to the CDC.
And advocates fear the problem may be worsening. Without the safeguard of a fellow player, what was intended as a momentary high can easily turn fatal. The federal government no longer studies Choking Game deaths, so there is no recent national data on the problem the CDC declined to say why the deaths are not tracked. Many coroners are not trained to identify it, so the deaths can often be misclassified as suicides, according to several coroners across the country.
Many schools are reluctant to raise awareness about the dangers of the Choking Game, fearing the lesson could backfire, teaching students how to play the game instead. Brain cells begin dying within minutes of blood and oxygen deprivation, and if the carotid arteries in the neck are compressed by a rope or a belt, it can lead to irreversible brain damage after five minutes, says Dr. Five states added questions about the Choking Game to their risk assessments between and , and the results showed many middle school students were familiar with it.
Levi Draher had already played the Choking Game three times when he slung a climbing rope across a bunk bed frame at his boarding school in Harlingen, Texas and leaned his neck into the rope on Oct. Draher, who was 15 at the time, had learned the game through friends, who were playing it too. Draher expected to roll over and fall off the rope once he passed out, but his body stayed put. He says he was lying on the rope, unconscious and not breathing, for about 15 minutes before he was found.
All of this is partly why his parents and police don't believe Zachary's death was a suicide. He was just grateful all the time and a joy to be around," Ms. There wasn't a single thing in any of it that indicated he was depressed or sad. We spoke to his teachers and they were very clear: They have kids they watch, and Zach was never on their radar.
There was other evidence that made the suicide theory seem implausible. After doing a bit of research, and in discussion with police, they learned that, when Zachary's lifeless body was found, he was in a "recoverable position. Being in a "recoverable position" means that Zach's hands were in a position to push himself up if need be. Participants of the game who do it solo, as Zach did, think that if they choke themselves in a specific position, they will be able to recover themselves in time.
Grant, whose own year-old son, Jesse, died from the choking game in Zachary fell backwards, and could have pushed himself up with his hands if he was not unconscious. When Ms. Grant's son died, awareness about the choking game was pretty much non-existent. Since then, she has held presentations for adults — teachers, parents, EMS workers and counsellors — but it's been harder to reach kids.
Coroners will often label a teen's death suicide when, in fact, it could have been as a result of this game. Statistics on injuries and deaths from the game are difficult to come by largely because of this.
We're here to help! To browse this site safely, be sure to regularly clear your browser history. Security Alert Internet usage can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely. Facts You Deserve to Know. Strangulation is a significant predictor for future lethal violence. In adults, a piece of food often is the culprit. Young children often swallow small objects.
Because choking cuts off oxygen to the brain, give first aid as quickly as possible. The universal sign for choking is hands clutched to the throat. If the person doesn't give the signal, look for these indications:. If the person is able to cough forcefully, the person should keep coughing. If the person is choking and can't talk, cry or laugh forcefully, the American Red Cross recommends a "five-and-five" approach to delivering first aid:. The American Heart Association doesn't teach the back blow technique, only the abdominal thrust procedures.
It's OK not to use back blows if you haven't learned the technique. Both approaches are acceptable. If you're the only rescuer, perform back blows and abdominal thrusts before calling or your local emergency number for help. If another person is available, have that person call for help while you perform first aid. If the person becomes unconscious, perform standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR with chest compressions and rescue breaths.
First, if you're alone and choking, call or your local emergency number immediately. Then, although you'll be unable to effectively deliver back blows to yourself, you can still perform abdominal thrusts to dislodge the item. If the child is older than age 1 and conscious, give abdominal thrusts only.
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