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Be Informed, Be Aware
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 Stop the Choking Game! and Deadly Games Children Play have joined together to provide a larger coverage of information and more accurate statistics accross our countries and the world. Along with the amalgination of the two sites we have also formed Stop the Choking Game! Association.
For more information on Stop the Choking Game! Association, please click on the association menus.
The Purpose of This Site
Deadly Games Children Play and Stop the Choking Game! hopes to increase the awareness of parents, teachers, police, community groups and children to the risks that our young people are taking.
Along with the current strategy of teaching our young about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, drugs and unprotected sex, there is another underlined devil, which is the need for some children to experiment. Some of these choices are deadly ones such as suffocation games and huffing (sniffing substances).
This site is constructed in an attempt to help educate parents, children, school officials, law enforcement and medical examiners about this insidious activity which is killing children, frequently in the 10 to 16 year age range though there are instances of children both older and younger who have been injured or died.
The Single Best Weapon Against This Activity is Information:
Most children have no clue how dangerous this activity is. Most parents have no clue that kids are doing this until someone in their lives dies or is damaged by it. Schools seem oblivious to it though it has been reported numerous times that this activity often takes place at school. Medical examiners and police continue to classify these deaths as suicide by hanging when there is no evidence that the child intended to take his life. The only way to stop the deaths from this activity is to publicize, especially in the schools, the danger of this activity as we do with the use of drugs and alcohol.
What is the Choking Game?
The Choking Game achieves a brief high or euphoric state by stopping the flow of oxygen containing blood to the brain. Sometimes children choke each other until the person being choked passes out. The pressure on the arteries is then released and blood flow to the brain resumes causing a "rush" as consciousness returns. There are variations of this activity which involve hyper-ventilating until the participant loses consciousness. There is a lesser chance of death but it is still not safe. Playing this game in any form causes the permanent and cumulative death of large numbers of brain cells. The variation in blood pressure may also cause strokes, seizures, and retinal damage.
The danger becomes even greater when a ligature is used and the activity is performed by a lone child. If the child loses consciousness and there is no one there to IMMEDIATELY release the pressure, he is unable to help himself. The child will suffer brain damage and death certainly after three minutes. Some of those who have died were alone for as little as 15 minutes before someone found them and it was already too late. This activity can claim a child's life the first time it is played. Click to see a list of some of the victims of this activity.
The most popular lately, is the Choking game, Passout game, Space Monkey and Black out. This game is dangerous in groups, but is becoming even deadlier when played alone.
How Long Has This Been going On?
This activity has been going on for generations. In almost any group of adults, one can find someone who played this game in some form or another when they were children. The modification that has made it even more dangerous is the use of ligatures and the practice of doing it alone. Make no mistake. It is NEVER safe, but most of the children who get into trouble are alone.
How widespread is this activity?
Deaths have occurred from this activity nationwide, and in other countries around the world. There are links to articles from some of these countries on the Media Pages. There are, no doubt, more and the list of dead children seems to grow each day.
Why Do Kids Do This?
Some do it for the high which can become addictive. Others do it because it's "cool" and risky. Most of the kids who have died from this were not children in trouble. Most were well liked, active, intelligent, stable children who wanted nothing to do with drugs or alcohol. This was an activity they felt was safe. Children have no clue about the physiological principles involved and need to be told by the adults in their lives how dangerous this is. Also, most children have no concept of their own mortality. They truly believe nothing can hurt them.
If I think My child may be doing this, what can I Do?
Supervise the child very closely. Dispose of items that could be employed for this purpose. Warn your child about this activity. They often don't know that this activity can kill them or leave them brain damaged. Alert school officials so that they can monitor your child. Often other students may also be participating. Consider professional counseling and support for your child and your family.
Check that siblings are not involved in this activity.
Consider alerting your child's friends parents.
What Can I Do to Help Stop This?
Talk to the children in your life, parents and everyone you know who works with children Make sure they understand why it is so dangerous to participate in this activity. I have a hard time calling this a game. But that's what the kids call it. Even if they survive, people who participate are killing brain cells each time they do this. The damage done is permanent and cumulative. In addition, a child choking another child who is injured or dies, may be indicted and prosecuted for his part in the death or injury. Insist that the school districts in your area provide education about this activity as a part of the risky behavior curriculum (drugs and alcohol, etc.). Doing so insures that all children are warned of the dangers of this activity. This should start as early as elementary school as older children seem to pass this activity to younger ones.
Is This AeA?
Sometimes but the two are not synonymous. In cases of Auto-erotic Asphyxia, an element of sexual satisfaction is involved. Like the choking game, AeA causes death due to hypoxia or oxygen deprivation to the brain and, like the choking game, AeA is often confused with suicide by the officials investigating these deaths. The Links Page contains links to further information about AeA. |