[The choking game: a potentially lethal game]

Abstract

Choking games are a known behaviour among adolescents, although they have not been reported in the Spanish scientific literature. They are games which seek a brief euphoria due to the restriction oxygen flow into the brain. The case of a 15 year-old adolescent boy who died in a room due to accidental hanging while playing the choking game is presented. Case characteristics are described and literature reviewed. The choking game is a dangerous and potentially fatal activity. Cases like the one described may be helpful for paediatricians and physicians in recognising this phenomenon and its risks. Knowledge of this activity is important for the prevention and early detection of adolescents risk behaviours.