Dangers of The Choking Game

You might not have heard of it but chances are your kids have.  And it's a game that can be deadly.

It's called the “choking game” or sometimes just “the game” and is exactly like it sounds.  Someone chokes themselves to try and get a buzz.   That same “game” has lead to deaths.  But unfortunately, according to a new study, more students are doing it than we thought.

Researchers from the Sam Houston State University found that almost one out of every seven students surveyed had played this deadly game at one time or another.  On the average, most of them started when they were only 14. 

What essentially happens is someone will try and choke themselves with their hands, or have someone else do it.  That cuts off the blood supply to the brain and causes a very brief buzz.  That buzz comes from brain cells not getting the oxygen they need.  Unfortunately this also leads to fainting, seizures and convulsions and in some instances death.  Sometimes something wrapped around the neck or plastic bags over the head are used for the same reason. 

What this survey did show was that oftentimes the main reason for playing this game was simply curiosity.  Most had heard about it from their friends.  So talking to your kids about this game and it's dangers is one key to making sure they don't end up getting hurt because of it.

Exercise Your Way to an A

Exercise can help keep your kids fit.  But now it looks like it might also help keep them smart.   Turns out this is another example of the overall health benefits of exercise, especially as children and their brains are developing. 

A group of Dutch scientists combed through earlier research on children to see how exercise affected them.   They looked at over 12 thousand children from the United States, Canada and South Africa. 

These researchers found a huge connection between exercise and academic performance.   As a matter of fact, they found the more physically active children had higher test scores.   These scores were especially high in math, English and reading.  According to the authors of this study, part of the reason this might be happening is that exercise increases the blood and oxygen flow to the brain.  This helps increase the hormones that reduce stress and simultaneously allows the development of new cells in the brain which help with academics. 

So in addition to hitting the books, getting regular exercise this year might translate to a better report card.