Schools

2008 Center for Disease Control report warns parents, teachers and health care providers about the so called “choking” or “fainting game”, which has killed 82 U.S. youths since 1995.

(this article is from an email dated 2/26/2009 from the Hatboro-Horsham School District to all parents)

After much discussion within our school district, we find it important to remind you of a dangerous activity that is occasionally being engaged in by children. A 2008 Center for Disease Control report warns paren ts, teachers and health care providers about the so called “choking” or “fainting game”, which has killed 82 U.S. youths since 1995.

“The choking game involves intentionally trying to choke oneself or someone else with one’s hand or a noose to attain a brief euphoric state or high. If the strangulation is prolonged, which is something that can happen quickly, death or a serious injury can result” explains Robin Tobin, Ph.D., MPH, of the Center for Disease Control’s National Center for injury Prevention and Control.

“If parents believe their child is playing the choking game, they should speak to them about the life-threatening dangers associated with the game and seek additional help if necessary” said Tobin.

In reality, this activity is so risky and so dangerous, that referring to it as a game sends a confusing message. Behavior that poses such a threat to the health and well-being of our children should realistically not be viewed as or referred to as a game.

Although this choking activity is not new, what is new is that children are playing alone and that they are using ligatures (nooses). Tobin also says that children seem to be learning the choking game from each other and that the CDC does not expect this information, if distributed, to cause an increase in incidents.

More information can be found at here.

Listen to a podcast from the CDC

You should review this website’s information before sharing its content with your child because of the graphic nature contained within.

As always, the Hatboro-Horsham School District is committed to passing information on to parents and caregivers. Awareness is the first line of defense in preventing tragedies.

(from the Intelligencer)Hatboro-Horsham School District is unveiling a new tool to keep its schools safer.

The district's new director of security, Albert Hall, is unveiling a student tip line to report safety threats.

Students can call and leave a voice mail at 215-420-5100 or send an e-mail to tips@hatboro-horsham.org. The lines can be used to report crimes, acts of violence, bullying incidents, a student in danger, or any other situation that might present a threat to school safety, officials said.

A districtwide contest resulted in three posters to advertise the effort.

“The fifth-grade poster was geared around bullying and the high school poster was geared around violence,” said Hall in a telephone interview, reflecting the issues that made the biggest impression on the students.

At Monday night's school board meeting, the three students were honored for their work.

Chris Hammel, a fifth-grader at Blair Mill Elementary School; Wayne Arminavage, a seventh-grader at Keith Valley Middle School; and Lauren Liberg, an 11th-grader at Hatboro-Horsham High School, were recognized.

On Tuesday, the posters were placed in district buildings.

ChATs, or Chiefs Advisory Teams, an all-volunteer group of public service-oriented citizens, will be distributing posters to local businesses throughout the area to promote the program. Any local businesses that are interested in displaying a poster in their workplace should e-mail Hall at ahall@hatboro-horsham.org.

“The tip line will be one more tool for the district to employ as it seeks to prevent and avoid all types of incidents that disrupt learning or threaten student safety,” Hall said. He also instituted a telephone tip line and e-mail address when he served as director of safety at St. Joseph's University.

Hall's voice is on the tip line's message, and he will respond to the message.

Depending on the incident, information could be forwarded to school principals or directly to police if a threat is imminent.

Hall encouraged students to make use of the service.

“When in doubt, make the phone call,” said Hall, who added, “If you're wondering if you should call, you should.”

To help: If you witness bullying, a student in danger, or a situation that might present a threat to school safety, call 215-420-5100 or send an e-mail to tips@hatboro-horsham.org.