“Make sure you check your children’s phones,” warned Nyla’s mother, who made a statement with the whole family, to raise awareness among parents. “You never know what you might find on their phones. You would not think 10-year-olds would try that.”
Tiktok is a danger to young users
At least four other children, ages nine to 12, have died over the past year after taking part in the challenge. Joshua Hilesius, 12, Robert Craig, 10, and Latrios Smith Jr., a sister of one of the children who were found dead, said: “I went out, saw his tablet and saw it hanging on the tree.” She also described how her younger brother loved making TikTok videos on a tablet.
Experts warn: Tiktok ‘dry scooping’ challenge can be life-threatening
The fourth case occurred earlier this year when a 10-year-old girl in Italy died as a result of exposure to a trend in Tiktok. The girl was found unconscious in the bathroom of her home by her five-year-old sister when she was holding the cell phone in her hand with a ticking video of the dangerous challenge. In response, the Tiktok network was blocked across the country to investigate the girl’s death, making sure there were no more children under the age of 13 who signed up for the social network.
Why is the blackout challenge so dangerous?
Experts who addressed the challenge explained that once they hold their breath for an extended period of time, there is a lack of oxygen similar to someone drowning, suffocating or having cardiac arrest. In a state of dehydration to the brain for more than three minutes it is possible to get brain damage, and over five minutes it can already cause death.
The blackout trend started long before the ticking era. According to a CDC report released in 2008, 82 children died as a result of the challenge. Most of the children who died were between the ages of 11 and 16, with an average age of 13. According to the data, most deaths occurred when a child participated in the suffocation game alone , And that most parents were unaware of the dangerous challenge before their child’s death.
How can you identify if your child is participating in a blackout challenge or similar fainting challenges?
- Bloodshot eyes
- Marks on the neck
- Severe headaches
- Confused after they spend time alone
- Ropes, scarves and belts tied to bedroom furniture or door handles or found to be tied to the floor
- Unexplained presence of things like dog leashes and choke collars