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Dying for a Thrill
The Fainting Game
By Gina Roberts-Grey
The inclination to experiment with any type of dangerous behavior is often fueled by peer pressure. "Children who want to 'fit in,' act 'cool' or who are looking for attention turn to alcohol, drugs, crime and dangerous games such as fainting and choking," says Derby. "The key is recognizing the symptoms of low self-confidence and -esteem."
Children such as 11-year-old Dylan Blake of St. Augustine, Fla., and 14-year-old Chelsea Dunn of Nampa, Idaho, are talented, love to read, play with their friends and spend time with their family. These children don't do drugs or skip school. They have loving, involved parents who praise their accomplishments and support them when they are struggling. These two young victims and several others lost their lives to the choking game in 2005.
Perhaps one of the most deadly aspects of these games is the fact that the warning signs aren't always as clear as when a child is experimenting with drugs, alcohol or tobacco. A child contemplating the fainting game doesn't slur his words, stumble or smell of alcohol or tobacco.
"Although some children may express an interest in strangulation or engage in discussions relating to 'how does someone choke,' many children do not outwardly express their interest in this game to their parents or teachers," says Tania Soja, case manager at a residential treatment facility for children and teenagers in Reading, Pa.