The Choking Game

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(No Transcript)
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The Choking Game is KILLING and INJURING
Canadian children everyday. When will we begin
to educate them?
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What is the Choking Game?

• The Choking Game or Black Out is a deadly
  activity that is currently taking the lives of
  hundreds of children each year. 
• The Choking Game achieves a brief high or
  euphoric state by stopping the flow of blood
  containing oxygen 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.

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Why are Children Playing?

• Many times the Choking Game starts off as a
  social activity, being learned in school yards,
  sleepovers and camps. It is taught as a fun
  activity and never are they made aware of the
  dangers.
• Adolescents end up doing it alone, which is even
  more dangerousnobodys around to help them if
  they pass out. Children have indicated that they
  get a relaxed feeling. Also, the rush theyre
  getting can be addictive.
• The plan is to release pressure at just the right
  time before passing out. If they pass out first,
  the weight of their body pulls on the ropes and
  they can die. Theres also the chance of
  seizures, stroke, or injuries from a fall.
• Playing the game in any form causes the permanent
  death of a large number of brain cells. Within 3
  minutes without oxygen to the brain, a person
  will suffer noticeable brain damage. Between 4
  and 5 minutes, a person will die. Some of those
  kids who died were alone for as little as 15
  minutes before someone found them, and it was
  already too late.

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How widespread is this activity?

• 2007 OSDUHS Mental Health Well-Being
  Highlights Report
• (Grades 7 to 12)
• Overall, about 7 of students report that they
  had participated in the choking game at least
  once in their lifetime. This estimate represents
  about 79,000 Ontario students.
• Males (7) and females (8) are likely to report
  participating
• In Canada we know of 47 deaths and 80 injuries
  in the short time we have been gathering this
  data.  We do know of many more that do not want
  to come forward.   We also have information from
  the Canadian Public Health Agency that has
  documented 74 injuries from the Choking Game
• Eastern Canada 8 casesCentral Canada 35
  casesWestern Canada 31cases
• Canadian deaths are not made public and families
  choose to keep very quiet about there personal
  tragedies.  This is why the numbers are not
  easily accounted for.
•  We know that 1 in 5 children are playing this
  game and our polls online match these numbers.
  Along with these statistics we understand that
  10 of these children that are playing alone The
  chances of these children dieing while they play
  alone are staggering. 

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How widespread is this activity?
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How widespread is this activity?
Breakdown of Incidents In Canada - 130
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Teens risk death with choking game One in five
Ontario teenagers has tried self-strangulation to
induce euphoria, UBC prof finds
Nicholas Read, Vancouver Sun Published Saturday,
April 07, 2007
Preliminary research done by a University of B.C.
professor of pediatrics suggests that more than
one in five Ontario teenagers has played an
asphyxiation game that has caused other Canadian
and U.S. teenagers to choke themselves to
death. Using data from 304 questionnaires
completed by high school students in Ontario, Dr.
Andrew Macnab determined that 57 per cent of
respondents have heard of the so-called "choking
game," in which players get a high from cutting
off the blood flow to their brains, and 21 per
cent have actually played it. "It's staggering,"
Macnab said in an interview Wednesday. "It's
mind-blowing data. This emphasizes the fact that
the game is more widely known about, and more
widely played than most adults comprehend."
Understand the warning signs

• Any suspicious mark on the side of the neck,
  sometimes hidden by a turtleneck, scarf or
  permanently turned-up collar.
• Changes in personality, such as overtly
  aggressive or agitated.
• Any kind of strap, rope or belt lying around near
  the child for no clear reasonand attempts to
  elude questions about such objects.
• Headaches (sometimes excruciatingly bad ones),
  loss of concentration, flushed face.
• Bloodshot eyes or any other noticeable signs of
  eye stress.
• A thud in the bedroom or against a wallmeaning a
  fall in cases of solitary practice.
• Any questions about the effects, sensations or
  dangers of strangulation.
• Some private symbolisms, indicating participation
  in self-asphyxiation behaviors have been reported
  they might look like this
• p\\\ or ) llll

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Teens risk death with choking game One in five
Ontario teenagers has tried self-strangulation to
induce euphoria, UBC prof finds
Nicholas Read, Vancouver Sun Published Saturday,
April 07, 2007
Preliminary research done by a University of B.C.
professor of pediatrics suggests that more than
one in five Ontario teenagers has played an
asphyxiation game that has caused other Canadian
and U.S. teenagers to choke themselves to
death. Using data from 304 questionnaires
completed by high school students in Ontario, Dr.
Andrew Macnab determined that 57 per cent of
respondents have heard of the so-called "choking
game," in which players get a high from cutting
off the blood flow to their brains, and 21 per
cent have actually played it. "It's staggering,"
Macnab said in an interview Wednesday. "It's
mind-blowing data. This emphasizes the fact that
the game is more widely known about, and more
widely played than most adults comprehend."
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Understand the warning signs

Therefore, knowing that more children than we
realized are aware of the choking game, knowing
that some will die as a result, and knowing that
having the right information influences choice
and behaviour, I would urge you to use these
materials and every opportunity to give children
the knowledge and ability to make informed
choices.

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G.A.S.P.s plans for the future

• G.A.S.P. is trying to raise awareness of this
  activity but have met with disbelief that this
  can be happening without parents and teachers
  knowledge.  Over 75 of school age children are
  learning this from friends at school. 
• We have created a website www.GASPinfo.com
  (Games Adolescence shouldnt play) to educate
  children and parents about this activity and help
  families that have had to endure this pain.  GASP
  is now a non-profit organization with over 100
  members, 3,500 subscribers, and a Board of
  Directors across North America.
• We have a petition on line that has collected
  over 1500 names in a short period of time to have
  this education incorporated into the DARE
  curriculum.  We have also contacted DARE
  representatives across the country in hopes that
  this can be accomplished. 
• We have created an education package that will be
  available for schools and educators in April 2008.

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A mothers horror
Dear Sharron,I want to share this short but
intense video that my son Miles shared with
me...The video clip shows Miles holding his
breath, while another boy puts him in a "sleeper
hold" and cuts off the oxygen to his brain. The
student shooting the video describes what he
sees. Miles gets a momentary high, and a
tingling in his arms, before his eyes go blank,
his hands shudder, and he passes out. The boy who
choked him, grabs him before he hits the floor.
He regains consciousness after being
slapped.The students took turns using this
technique on each other. Miles told me that he
volunteered (and passed out) four times. This
all happened while an Industrial Tech. teacher
was in the classroom. When he inquired about what
they were doing, they said they were "mind
reading" and he didn't take it any further. I
found about about this only because Miles thought
it was funny and showed me the video. My reaction
was one of horror. Almost as disturbing as seeing
"death" in my sons face, is the look of
detachment in the face of the boy who is choking
him. My son survived, and I was able to talk to
him about the dangers of the 'game'. Please
feel free to use this video to show parents what
is going on.and thank you for your work
educating people,Rose Gallagher
Choking Game in School
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Teens risk death with choking game One in five
Ontario teenagers has tried self-strangulation to
induce euphoria, UBC prof finds
Nicholas Read, Vancouver Sun Published Saturday,
April 07, 2007
Preliminary research done by a University of B.C.
professor of pediatrics suggests that more than
one in five Ontario teenagers has played an
asphyxiation game that has caused other Canadian
and U.S. teenagers to choke themselves to
death. Using data from 304 questionnaires
completed by high school students in Ontario, Dr.
Andrew Macnab determined that 57 per cent of
respondents have heard of the so-called "choking
game," in which players get a high from cutting
off the blood flow to their brains, and 21 per
cent have actually played it. "It's staggering,"
Macnab said in an interview Wednesday. "It's
mind-blowing data. This emphasizes the fact that
the game is more widely known about, and more
widely played than most adults comprehend."
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How does it affect families?

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How does it affect families?
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Teens risk death with choking game One in five
Ontario teenagers has tried self-strangulation to
induce euphoria, UBC prof finds
Nicholas Read, Vancouver Sun Published Saturday,
April 07, 2007
Preliminary research done by a University of B.C.
professor of pediatrics suggests that more than
one in five Ontario teenagers has played an
asphyxiation game that has caused other Canadian
and U.S. teenagers to choke themselves to
death. Using data from 304 questionnaires
completed by high school students in Ontario, Dr.
Andrew Macnab determined that 57 per cent of
respondents have heard of the so-called "choking
game," in which players get a high from cutting
off the blood flow to their brains, and 21 per
cent have actually played it. "It's staggering,"
Macnab said in an interview Wednesday. "It's
mind-blowing data. This emphasizes the fact that
the game is more widely known about, and more
widely played than most adults comprehend."
  Email to a friend
  Printer friendly

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(No Transcript)
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Are kids really dying playing this game?
You tell me
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Jacques - 12 years oldOntario, Canada
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Kelly LaRocque - 18 years oldOntario, Canada
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Daniel Sheppard -11 years oldTennessee, USA
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Maxime Deguire- 13 years oldQuebec, Canada
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Eric Riegle 12 years oldOntario, Canada
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Kalib Shalapay - 9 years oldAlberta, Canada
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Sonny Granger - 11 years oldQuebec, Canada
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Gabriel Mordecai - 13 years old California, USA
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Yannik Whitehead - 16 years oldOntario, Canada
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Andrew Raymond -14 years oldSaskatchewan, Canada
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Monte Smith 18 years oldOntario, Canada
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Logan Mohr -16 years oldManitoba, Canada
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Kayla Oja - 14 years oldOntario, Canada
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Michael Philips - 16 years oldOntario, Canada
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Jesse Daviau 12 years old Nova Scotia, Canada
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Blake - 14 years oldNova Scotia, Canada
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Adam Janssen - 12 years oldColorado, USA
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Raed Kadri -17 years oldOntario, Canada
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Jordan Apps -12 years oldBritish Columbia, Canada
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Dylan Blake - 11 years oldFlorida, USA
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Shawn - 13 years oldAlberta, Canada
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Leo McPhee 16 years oldNew Brunswick, Canada
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Jesse Grant 12 years old Ontario, Canada