Rick Badie / My Opinion

By Harvey Glattman

July 14, 2007 10:25 PM | Link to this

“euphoric rush”? Call it what it is: a sex game. auto erotic asphyxia. Marquis de Sade wrote about it. Google Albert Dekker.

By sarah pacatte

July 15, 2007 8:00 AM | Link to this

This deadly, high risk, thrill seeking activity that has been and continues to kill children is NOT always a ‘sex game’. It is only AeA (auto erotic asphyxiation) when one is depriving themself of oxygen while engaging in sexual activity. There are MANY signs as to the differences! MOST of these children have died fully clothed; no pornographic material about them; no sexual ‘toys’ or other items which would suggest their involvement with masturbation. Ignorance is not bliss; ignorance kills. Games Adolescents Shouldn’t Play, http://GASPinfo.com is a ground breaking, non profit orginization leading the way in educating, warning and informing on the dangers of self asphyxiation. Many of us have lost a child to this wicked killer. I lost one of my 13 year old boys, Gabriel to this ‘game’ on May 6, 2005. Please help to save lives and pass on the warnings. Again, ignorance is anything but bliss. Sarah Pacatte, Gabriel Mordecai’s mom http://StillLovingMyGabriel.com

By Deborah Lee

July 15, 2007 9:21 AM | Link to this

I had a young boy in my neighborhood in Duluth die, I heard, from auto erotic asphyxia. I remember my classmates in 1962 playing this game on the playground with teachers watching. The girls would have someone hold them tight around the chest while they held their breath and then they would pass out and their eyes would go up into their heads. They would wake up and tell everyone the dream they had and then the next girl would try it.I remember playing a game in swimming pools to see who could hold their breath the longest. Who knows how many brain cells I killed playing that game. Yes, we were naive about this practice but I remember telling my child NEVER restrict your breathing for any reason, that you can and will die, when he was about three. It is never too early to start the warning.

By A Mom

July 15, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately, it’s a very tragic and sad topic. I am the mother of a teenage son. It amazes me that kids have access to so much information, yet most parents are “in the dark”. And, it’s great that there are so many education programs out there for our children regarding substance abuse, etc., but it seems to me that these types of classes should be readily available to the parents as well. I always seem to learn about these programs after the life of a young person has been snuffed out. Most everyone is on the web these days. What if school systems sent out, via email, newsletters regarding such behaviors and warning signs, or links to such websites? To offer seminars to parents, I think, would be a waste because so many parents suffer from the “not my kid” syndrome.

By Diane Pryor

July 15, 2007 1:23 PM | Link to this

In response to Mr. Glattman: Elizabeth was only 13,was fully clothed when she died and not being much of a reader I think I can say with a great deal of certainty that she was not familiar with Marquis de Sade or his sexual proclivities.(And yes, I’ve seen ‘Quills’) I have talked to people in their 60’s who remember doing this as kids on the playground. I have also talked to kids who are currently in middle school and done (doing) this and the sexual aspect of this is not the goal for them. It is generally the older (16+)males that engage in AEA. This practice is as addictive as drugs, alcohol,inhalants, etc. While they may start out doing this with friends they become addicted to the feeling.The time comes when they need the ‘fix’ and there is no one there to ‘help’ and they begin to do this on their own. Here are some stats from a 206 poll of 6th-12th graders: 53% of boys admitted playing the ‘game’ 86% admitted playing 2x/week 64% admitted to playing alone In addition: 75% of children know about the game but
NOT the risks. 25% of parents know about the game 87% of fatal cases involved a lone
participant 70% of Accidental Asphyxia cases
occurred in the child’s bedroom
within the family’s own home In 60% of the cases, parents or caregivers were home at the time Om these instances the child was discovered within 1 hour of the incident. The results were the same:unexpected death. Elizabeth was alone, in her bedroom, I was home and by calculation she had been dead about 30-45 min when I found her. The schools will not incorporate this into their drug prevention programs, citing not wanting to give the kids and ‘ideas’. Guess what? they already know. PLEASE petition your Elementary and Middle Schools to incorporate this into their Health and DARE programs. This also not exclusive to public schools. It is prevalent in the private schools as well. And as an added note to parents: Most of these deaths are ruled as suicides which not only makes it difficult to calculate how many deaths are actually a result of the ‘game’. As a rule, life insurance policies will not pay out on a suicide. In addition to losing a child are you financially in a position to cover a funeral and burial? Please visit the websites listed, educate yourselves then talk to your children and the representatives in your school district to get this implemented into the drug education curriculum.

By backintheday...

July 16, 2007 9:39 AM | Link to this

We used to do this in high school as well. We called it the pass-out game. It’s quite a weird feeling to pass out, and even weirder to wake up confused. It was pretty fun. One time a friend of mine was passed out for quite a while, but I don’t think he was brain-damaged—he was always kind of dumb. Only much later with my ex did I discover the sexual association—i.e., intensifying climax (for the little lady—I never got choked out myself).

By Kate Leonardi

July 16, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

I also am a bereaved parent because of the Choking Game. And just like Diane - my son Dylan was only 11 when he fell into the trap of thinking this was a ‘game’ and as do most of the adolescents I engage with through Dangers of the Choking Game presentations. for more information see www.ChokingGame.net They see this as not more than “passing out and noone ever dies from passing out” Diane for cited the statistics from the DB Foundation as a wake up call to other parents! A few more facts - these kids are high acheiving, intelligent and engaged in the community. They are not the children typically red flagged as being in danger. We are not alone and until education is given across the board - all adolescents are at risk!

As just like Diane, and hundreds if not thousands, of other parents I was home when Dylan decided to ‘play’ and found him within minutes but it was too late. I beg of parents, please take the opportunity all of us wish we had to talk honestly and explicitly to them - this ‘game’ will kill brain cell everytime and noone knows when the last time they play will be. There is no way for a Doctor to determine a heart attack or potential stroke (both side effects of the Choking Game) let alone a child! The Petition currently has over 3,000 signatures. Please add yours Click HERE- it may your child or a child you love who is saved by knowing the facts!

By Lea

July 25, 2007 6:48 PM | Link to this

Its amazing to me people like Harvey Glattman wants it to be a “SEX game” label. A child has died and his main concern is putting the SEX label on it. Perverts amaze me how the pop up at the most inopportune times. I am sure the 13yr old had sex on her mind just as much as a person using drugs has. Its the RUSH they are seeking. I pray for your family Mrs Pryor. Thank you so much for sharing your story to educate us parents with young children. May God Bless You!