In today’s crazy social media world, a first responder might encounter an emergency response that deals with the untoward effects of several deadly “challenges.” American youths are daring each other to take risks that are potentially deadly. One should enhance one’s general knowledge of these challenges and the subjective and objective skills that can apply.
Skittles Game
Participants get together to abuse prescription medications. Each brings a handful of pills. (These medications are stolen from the medicine cabinet at home or another residence.) Participants dump their pills into a bowl to create a pile of “Skittles.” Each participant grabs a handful and begins popping them. Here are the issues:
- Russian roulette: Individuals have no idea what they are taking (pain medication, a heart pill, blood thinner?) nor what the effect can be (very little to killing them)
- Dosage is unknown: No one counts what medication is being taken nor the dosage, and no one knows what the added effect is when the medications are taken together
- Risk of overdose is high: Each pill has its own risk, but the risk is even more lethal when medications are combined
- Allergic reaction
- Previous medical conditions: What underlying conditions can exacerbate this game?
Choking Game
The choking game is prompted by thrill-seekers and involves forced asphyxiation to create the sensation of being high without using alcohol or drugs. Participants describe a brief feeling of euphoria before they lose consciousness. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study sets the age of choking-game participants at 6–19, with 13 being the average age.
The game usually starts as a group activity, but some individuals later engage by themselves. The latter raises the risk of unintentional death or disability. Complications include seizures, fractures, heart attacks and brain injuries that range from subtle impairment to permanent vegetative states. Some other names for this challenge: 5 Minutes in Heaven, Black Hole, California High and Funky Chicken.
Knockout Challenge
This asphyxiation game calls on an individual to inhale and exhale rapidly, which causes hyperventilation. Another individual then presses against the chest of the first individual to inhibit airflow, which causes the first individual to lose consciousness.
Cinnamon/Cracker Challenge
Without drinking fluids, someone swallows a teaspoon of cinnamon or eats six saltine crackers in a minute, immediately drying out the mouth. The painful effects might include violent coughing and vomiting, both of which easily can obstruct the airway. Cinnamon might enter the lungs, requiring artificial ventilation support.
Salt and Ice Challenge
Participants usually pour salt on the arm, and ice is placed on the salt. This causes a burning sensation like frostbite. Participants see who can withstand the pain the longest. The salt/ice mixture can reach a temperature of 0 degrees F and quickly cause second- and third-degree burns, which can cause open sores to form.
ABC, or Cutting, Challenge
Using a fingernail or sharp object, one person digs at another’s skin while listing words that begin with each letter of the alphabet. The results often are photographed and uploaded online.
Deliberate mutilation can make someone achieve glorious status, believing that they now belong to a popular group.
Car Surfing
An individual “surfs” on the hood, roof or trunk of a moving automobile. The CDC states that nearly 100 teens died from this stunt over the past 15 years.
Robotripping
An individual chugs a full bottle of cough syrup. The syrup produces a high that’s induced from the chemical DXM (dextromethorphan), which in large doses can produce hallucinations and in excessive amounts can kill. Drug Enforcement Administration research indicates that one in 10 teens has used over-the-counter cough or cold medications to get high.
Gallon Challenge
In this game, an individual quickly drinks a gallon of water or milk in no longer than an hour. The stomach can’t handle this volume, which makes the person violently ill and might cause the individual to suffer diarrhea and/or cramps.
Your safety
“Challenges” and risk behavior are prompted in many ways (i.e., online presence, peer pressure, etc.). You might find yourself responding to a bad outcome of one of these. Your safety is of utmost importance as you gather as many details and history of the incident as possible.
Richard Bossert
Richard Bossert is a retired operations chief for the Philadelphia Fire Department. He started in the fire/rescue services in 1970, volunteering for the Warminster, PA, Fire Department. He worked for three career fire departments: Chester, Bensalem and Philadelphia. Bossert became a certified EMT in 1973, then paramedic in 1980. He received a bachelor’s degree in pre-med from Pennsylvania State University in 1977 and a master’s degree in public safety administration from St. Joseph’s University in 2003.
