Dangerous Dares

It usually starts out innocently enough. “Watch me!” they say, as they eagerly display some newly discovered feat of balance or coordination. Later on, it’s “Mom! Dad! Look what I can do!” as they successfully mimic some grown-up behavior. And then one day, a line gets crossed and a harmless attention-seeking activity morphs into precarious conduct that can be hazardous to their health. In fact, it sometimes seems that teenagers go out of their way to find risky challenges that virtually guarantee they won’t make it through adolescence unscathed. These things happen right here in Eastern Kentucky, often spread through social media. The rise of mobile phones means that cameras are everywhere. Kids can take photos and videos of their folly and post it for others to copy in an attempt to be the “winner.” To help keep our kids safe, local Pike County lawyer Billy Johnson wants to alert parents to a few of today’s most common dangerous dares.

The Choking Game

With hashtags of #thechokinggame and #passoutchallenge, thousands of Twitter and Facebook users have shared evidence of what happens when they deprive themselves of oxygen in order to induce a temporary high. Self-induced hyperventilation causes grey-outs that have been equated with near-death experiences. In addition to causing brain damage, the game has proven fatal to many. Possible signs that your child is “playing” the game include bloodshot eyes, marks on the neck, severe headaches, disorientation after spending time alone, ropes, scarves, and belts tied to bedroom furniture or doorknobs or found knotted on the floor, and unexplained presence of things like dog leashes, choke collars and bungee cords.

The Fire Challenge

As if the word “fire” didn’t provide enough warning, the point of this challenge is to spray a small amount of flammable liquid like alcohol or perfume on an area of the body and light it. While none of these stunts end well since burns aren’t fun, the worst injuries occur if too much liquid is spread or the person is unable to extinguish the flame quickly enough. Of course, few videos show the resulting blistering, burns, and intense pain.

Condom Challenge

Condoms aren’t water balloons. They are stretchier and can form airtight seals. So, filling one with water and dropping it on someone’s head isn’t the most brilliant idea. While news reports that a teen had drowned in November after getting stuck inside the airtight bubble are false, the challenge does pose a suffocation risk as well as the chance of breathing in pieces of latex.

Duct-Tape Challenge

With about 286,000 results currently on YouTube for this phrase, it seems that asking teens not to bind their arms and legs with duct tape for fun may be a losing battle. A teen in Washington recently fell over while bound, slamming his head against a metal window frame. The resulting injury left him with 48 stitches in his head, a brain aneurysm, and permanent blindness in one eye. It’s believed that the stunt could’ve proven fatal if he had hit his head only slightly differently or if his friend hadn’t flipped him over when he was choking up blood. One of more serious failed stunts so far, there’s no doubt more are on the way. Awareness is important. If you have any questions about this topic, you can find out more by discussing it with one of the personal injury attorneys at the Johnson Law Firm. We have years of experience helping people and we can help you. Based in Pikeville, KY, we proudly serve communities throughout the Bluegrass State. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, contact us by calling 606-437-4488 or filling out our online form.