Lately I’ve heard talk about a game pre-teens and teens are playing called The Choking Game. It sounds dangerous. Can you tell me what it is and why kids play it? 

The choking game is a life threatening activity most frequently played by kids between the ages of 10 and 16 years of age. However, younger and older children have played this game and have also died from doing so. The goal of the game is to obtain a brief “high” or euphoric state. Oxygen supply to the brain is prevented by one child choking another child or by a child trying to briefly choke him/herself by placing something tightly around the neck until he/she passes out. Once the child has passed out, the pressure is released, which causes a rush of blood flow back to the brain and consciousness returns.  Some kids become addicted to this method of reaching a high. Data indicate the majority of kids who have died from this are smart, active, popular kids who were usually not found in trouble or who experimented with drugs and/or alcohol. Some signs to watch for include: 

• Marks or bruises on the throat
• Frequent, severe headaches
• Redness of the eyes
• Unexplained cuts or bruises (from falling)
• Disorientation after spending time alone
• Locked bedroom doors
• Belts, leashes, ropes or shoelaces tied in strange knots or found in unusual locations

If you suspect your child is experimenting with this game, supervise him/her closely. Ask parents of your child’s friends to be on the alert, too. Consider professional counseling. For more information, visit www.stop-the-choking-game.com.  

(Information in this article taken from National Association of School Nurses Weekly Digest, Winter 2005.)

Ellen Beary, RN
District Nurse
Valley Park School District

By any number of names (the “Choking Game,” “Flatliner,” from a 1990 film of that name, the “Fainting Game”), this dangerous activity has actually been going on for years. While it is typically played by boys, the game has also been known to be an activity at girls’ slumber parties. As frightening and as hard to believe as it may seem, the object of the game is asphyxiation. Pressure on the airway restricts oxygen flow, creating a “high” when brain cells begin the process of cell death. A second “high” occurs when the pressure is released and the oxygen and blood rush back to the brain. This is obviously a highly dangerous activity, and children should be warned of the possibility of injury and death. They should also know this activity can result in seizures, brain damage, retinal hemorrhaging and other serious health problems. Parents and other adults should watch for bruises on the neck, bloodshot eyes, and grogginess after a young person has spent time alone. If any of these are present, talk to your child about the dangers of this game and also increase your supervision of your child’s activities. It may save his/her life. 

Social Work Department
St. Louis Public Schools

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