Cookstown High warning about ‘choking’ game

A Co Tyrone school is warning parents about a dangerous online ‘choking’ game which could put the lives of young people at risk.
Online dangersOnline dangers
Online dangers

In a social media post, Cookstown High School ask parents to speak with their child about the possible dangers.

“It has come to our attention that there is a recent ‘craze’ appearing on the internet which young people have been participating in and sharing on social media in the local area,” the post reads.

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“It has a number of names including: ‘The Breathing Game’ and ‘The American Dream’. The craze involves restricting breathing until the person becomes semi-unconscious or indeed unconscious and then filming the aftermath.

“This is obviously extremely dangerous and has severe implications for personal health and safety.

“Please speak with your child concerning the dangers of the above and as always, we would encourage you to carefully monitor your child’s use of the internet and social media.”

A number of children are believed to have died elsewhere in the UK due to taking part in the ‘choking’ game.

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Games like the ‘choking’ game, and indeed the ice bucket challenge, are often publicised on the internet, and spread quickly from person to person online, leading to copycat behaviour.

Online ‘challenges’ are widespread. One in six people in the UK is estimated to have done the ice bucket challenge, and other internet games like the cinnamon challenge and ‘chubby bunny’, which involves putting a large number of marshmallows in your mouth have also been tried by millions. But the dangers of the ‘choking’ game are very real and parents are advised to be viligant.