A Dangerous High

Given the mounting evidence that many teens and even some younger children are playing suffocation games, principals should add awareness of suffocation games to risk behavior prevention efforts in their schools. Principals should teach students that suffocation is extremely dangerous and not a game, even if it is not illegal; teach staff members and parents about the choking game; alert staff members of the game's terminology and slang as well as websites that may indicate or encourage participation in the choking game; monitor school bathrooms, locker rooms, closets, closed classrooms, and other locations where students could play the game; reinforce the importance of parents spending time with their children and staying involved in their lives; and provide students with alternatives for healthy risk taking, rather than attempting to eliminate risk taking entirely. The dangers, prevalence, and warning signs of the choking game are considered.