Game pieces: Bungee cords, along with dog leashes or other restrictive straps, are the tools used for playing "the choking game," which has led to 82 confirmed deaths in the U.S. since 1995.
Courtesy wikipediaI can tell I’ve passed that certain age where I know what all the latest fads are. Before reading this news item, I never knew of any such thing as “the choking game.”

Bu the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a rare alert this week that 82 teens and preteens in the U.S. have died from medical complications from playing “the choking game.” The deaths are on record for the time period between 1995 and 2007.

The game is simply what the name implies. Kids use dog leashes, bungee cords or other tightening straps to cut off the blood flow in the neck to the head of a game participant. When the blood flow is restored, the “chokee” can experience a euphoric rush similar to floating in air.

In most of the fatal situations included in the report, the player was doing the game alone, the CDC also reported. But it strikes me that this is not a very good idea for anyone to be trying whether they have other people with them or not.

The age range of the victims was 6 to 19. In further analysis of the numbers, the CDC said that the deaths were spread across 31 states; nearly 90 percent were boys; the average age was about 13.

Here’s what really caught me by surprise. Some small-scale surveys report that up to 20 percent of the young adult population has played “the choking game.” That’s one out of five kids. If those numbers are solid, that means it’s very likely some of the young people you or I know have tried this activity.

Along with sharing these numbers, the CDC added some warning signs for parents to be on the lookout for if their kids have been taking part in “the choking game.” They include:

• Bloodshot eyes
• Marks on the neck
• Frequent and severe headaches
• Disorientation after spending time alone
• Ropes, scarves or belts tied to bedroom furniture or doorknobs or found knotted on the floor

The CDC also estimates that these numbers could be significantly low, and that many “choking game” deaths are reported as suicides or accidental strangulations. One projection figures that there could be up to 100 choking game deaths a year.

Here's a link to the online version of the CDC report if you want the full details.

So are you like me, shocked to learn that there can be such a dangerous activity taking place in our kids’ social time? What, if anything should be done to address this? Share your thoughts here with other Science Buzz readers.

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