Ed4Ed4All "Deadly Games"

Enduring the death of a child is heartbreaking- Do something!

2012-02-01T03:22:00.000-05:00

Help us save the lives of countless children that die every year senselessly: Please join us and sign this petition, send it to your Congress and have the letters hand delivered to them also, I did! Make your voice know this year, an election year I might add.

http://www.petition2congress.com/5809/stop-choking-game/

This is what the petition says:

There is an alarming wave of deaths among our country’s youth; a wave that continues to go unnoticed by mainstream media. Adolescents across the nation are victims of unintentional fatalities caused by their participation in the “choking game” and though known by many names, the intent is to pass out purposely for amusement or for a “buzz”. This silent epidemic that focuses the most brutal results on our very young middle schoolers, remains hidden from public attention because currently there is no way to accurately track and report the number of cases. This lack of statistical proof also limits prevention efforts promoted by the grass-roots organization of the thousands of grieving families who have lost a child to this insidious “game”.

As your constituent, I have signed my name below to ask that you help us help our children by doing the following:

1. Call the CDC and request to be briefed on the issue of the “choking game”.

2. Support the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services by requesting that the World Health Organization add a sub code that includes the “choking game” as a cause of death.

3. Include the “choking game” among the health-risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth in the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), and make the YRBS affordable and accessible for all states.

4. Support the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) model of education as the means to disseminate information regarding the “choking game”.

Enduring the death of a child is heartbreaking. As my representative to Congress, I ask that you help me prevent other families from this heartache by showing your support in establishing statistical evidence of the “choking game,” Your efforts will assist us in heightening awareness among teens and their parents, teachers, and health care providers.

Add the widget to your website here http://www.petition2congress.com/5809/stop-choking-game/gwt/

12 Terrifying Teen 'Games' Your Kid Could Be Playing

2012-01-19T06:30:00.000-05:00

12 Terrifying Teen 'Games' Your Kid Could Be Playing

Credit to Jeanne Sager- Cafemom- The Stir
Taken from great article posted:

30 Seconds Game: You may know it as a knowledge game akin to charades. But among kids, it's generally accepted that playing 30 Seconds means kids fight as hard as they can for half a minute, and the onlookers declare a "winner." By some definitions, the fighting requires punching someone directly in the face, repeatedly.

Skittling: Forget about the yummy candy. Think about what is in your medicine cabinet, because this "game" involves teens raiding Mom and Dad's pills, throwing them all into one pot, and then grabbing a random handful of colorful little capsules, downing them in one incredibly dangerous swallow.

ABC Game: It sounds educational, doesn't it? But this twisted form of Scattegories has almost killed kids who have the letters of the alphabet scratched into their hand over and over by a "friend" as they're forced to name off items in a particular category that begin with each letter of the alphabet (hence ABC). The scratcher continues until the competitor makes it all the way through the alphabet, cutting deeper and deeper into the skin, often leaving behind infected wounds.

Hide and Seek: Oooh, we used to play this when we were little, right? Not exactly. The teen version involves, what else, cars. The hiders turn off their headlights, and the seeker has to find them on the dark road. Of course, no one else can see the darkened cars, and inexperienced teen drivers without headlights can't see where they're going.

Ghosting: There's no seeker in this game, just a bunch of kids who turn off the headlights and drive as fast as they can. I don't really have to describe the risks, do I?

European Vacation: Yet another reason to make you fear the trip to the DMV, this "trip" involves one teen driver motoring in the right lane while their pal moves over to the left lane to drive beside them.

Sack Tapping: Remember when you used to punch your friends in the arm to make it go dead? That was nothing compared to the pain suffered when a boy is hit in the, ahem, balls, and subsequently loses his testicle.

Trunking: Forcing a pal to ride in the trunk of a car may sound reasonable if you've watched too many mob movies, but it's been known to actually kill kids.

Surfing: Oh, if this only involved water. Riding atop a moving car is something done for generations, and yet kids are still dumb enough to do it, often with disastrous results.

Robotripping: Drinking cough syrup like it's a bottle of water, this is supposed to help kids hallucinate. Unfortunately, it can also kill them.

Planking: It's not just for kids, and yet it's still dangerous to lie face down in a random spot for laughs. If you're doing it in the middle of the road, you risk getting run over. Doing it on a balcony? Well, you could fall several stories like the Australian man killed last year.

Choking Game: Just because it's the game that gets the most press doesn't mean kids aren't still trying to achieve a high by cutting off the oxygen to the brain. This can knock kids unconscious or, much worse, cause brain damage or even death. Exact affects are hard to track, because choking game deaths are simply labeled as suicides. The CDC estimates 800 to 1,000 kids between the ages of 10 to 19 die of strangulation every year, and sadly that includes some kids who just thought they were playing a game. It's also called the fainting game, pass-out, good kids high, and choking off, among other names.

Of course we here at Ed4Ed4all are very familiar with many of these, the choking game being one of the most deadly right now, all of these "games" are so very dangerous.

So many Angels~~ still so many stupid people~

2012-01-19T02:02:00.000-05:00

So many angels lost and yet why do people still not believe that their kids might
actually be involved in such behavior. Today I read a great article on Cafemom the "12 Terrifying Teen Games your kids are playing". And as I read the comments I realized how numb parents and teens can be to the real dangers that our kids are faced with everyday, not just teens, but younger children are even faced with youth risk behaviors like "the choking game" or "the pass out game". All of these deadly games are real!! These games injure and kill our kids!

Ask the parents of each and every kid that lost their life in the poster above, that is just a very small portion of the number of dead kids, just from the choking game, there are many more....

The comments below will upset many supporters of our site:

Here is one person "Cass" who is clueless: her comment scares me--

quoted:"Cass" Neither I, nor any teen I know, is dumb enough to do any of these (except perhaps the planking, although there's no way any of then would do it in a dangerous way). I would bet good money that half of these were made up simply for the purposes of scaring moms watching the local news. Seriously, people- if your kid is doing anything this stupid, you made some big mistakes.

quoted: "Anon" Besides the occasional trunking, surfing, and planking, I don't know of any teen doing these. I agree with Cass. It's like that rumor of rainbow parties- once word got out that kids "did" that, the media picked it up and ran with it. But there was never any evidence that it actually happened. I call BS on most of these. Anything involving drug mixing or chugging is really only a few people, who were already into other harder stuff.

quoted: "Cass"Thank you, Anon. I'm rather sick of being treated as though I have neither a brain nor a sense of self preservation simply because I'm a teenager. Ridiculous stories like these do not help my credibility.

quoted: "ohmyskittles: if you think teens are actually playing these games, you are stupid. I agree with Cass and Anon. Teens are not the monsters that you mommy bloggers make them out to be. If you teen ACTUALLY IS playing these games,you should have raised them better. Your fault for being a bad parent.

These are the people we need to work so hard to educate!
Any parent of a child who has died from any deadly "game" will agree that they were not at fault nor were a "bad parent", most of these parents are exceptional parents, those comments are cruel and uncalled for.

Wake up people and get smart! the 33 kids on that poster should be enough to show you that yes people are doing it!! And Dying!!

What are the signs??

2012-01-10T23:42:00.000-05:00

Information that was shared via John Tesh's Video for your Life website: Thank you for reaching out to parents!

Parents, you may have already talked to your kids about the dangers of alcohol
and Illegal drugs, but there's a danger you may not even know about. It's called the Choking Game, or Space Cowboy, Cloud 9, and Flat-line. lt's where kids deprive their brains of oxygen by briefly strangling themselves with a belt, rope, dog collar, or bungee cord, and get a temporary high when the blood rushes back Into their head. According to ABC News, kids are drawn to the Choking Game because It's cheap, doesn't Involve Illegal drugs, and seems less dangerous. However, It causes
permanent brain damage, and it kills - mostly boys between the ages of 11 and 16.
So, how can you protect your child? Talk to them! Make sure they understand that suffocating themselves to get high can cause permanent brain damage and death. Get them Into other activities -like soccer, hiking, or learning to cook. Studies show that kids who are involved in extracurricular activities are less likely to try to get high.

Also, keep an eye out for red flags like:
Bloodshot eyes,
marks or bruising around the neck,
and frequent ,severe headaches,
pinpoint spots of blood under the skin of the face, especially the eyelids.
Or in the clearlining of eyelids and eyes.
Also: Unusual demands for privacy,
disorientation after spending time alone,
and wearing
high-necked shirts, even In warm weather.
Other red flags include:
Ropes, scarves, t-shirts or belts tied to bedroom furniture or doorknobs, or found knotted on the floor or in unusual places, and the unexplained presence of dog leashes, choke collars, and bungee cords.

If you believe your child's doing something dangerous, seek medical and psychological help Immediately. Your Intervention could literally save their life. You can find a therapist at Therapists.PsychologyToday.com. Alert the parents of your child's friends. If one kid is doing it, there are probably others, and if an older teen is involved, younger kids in the same family may also be at risk.

Anytime your parental sense that something is wrong or different with your child is like a sign that you need to act and investigate what your child might be doing . Don't ever think "Oh I don't want them to get mad at me, who cares if they get mad, let them be mad, at least they will still be alive. Imagine if you found your child dead, hanging from a rope or belt on their bed, you thought something was just not right about them lately, but you did not want to interfere or "make them mad" now they are dead!!! did it really matter?? No, you can't bring them back now!
So be the parent and do something NOW! Talk to them NOW, they are never to young to talk about youth risk behaviors!!

A Wednesday Angel~~ Cody

2012-01-04T17:41:00.002-05:00

Another Angel we have lost due to the choking "pass out" game! Happy New years in Heaven our Angels~~

Cody Willard~

Cody Willard page on Facebook- Here
Our Ed4Ed4all Facebook page- Here
Encourage all the children in your life to watch these Angel posts, it might just save a life of your angel on earth.

Schoolboy's Death was an accident~

2011-12-15T22:37:00.000-05:00

Schoolboy's death was an accident says new inquest

from the UK
THE parents of a Tonbridge schoolboy who died after hanging himself with his school tie proved this week it was an accident after classmates revealed he had previously played a choking game.
There were tears of relief from the parents of 12-year-old Judd pupil William Lippell Stanesby when a second inquest found he had not committed suicide.

CHOKED: William Lippell Stanesby

Parents David Stanesby and Sabrina Lippell, from Tunbridge Wells, never believed their son had wanted to take his own life, insisting he had died accidentally while playing a game in which people choke themselves until they faint.
Mr Stanesby said the game, known to have claimed at least 11 other young lives nationwide, was "considered in some teenage circles to have cult-like status".
An open verdict was recorded at an inquest in September due to a lack of evidence.
The rare second inquest was called after critical information was provided by fellow Judd pupils who revealed William had talked about and even attempted the chilling prank.
Classmates told their teacher William had spoken about the "highly dangerous game" in which youngsters restricted air to their brain by constricting their necks with hands or a tie.
The coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure.

Credit to article here: http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Schoolboy-s-death-accident-says-new-inquest/story-14146614-detail/story.html

So a misadventure, or here in the states we would call it "they made a mistake by calling this a suicide! So many of our kids are dying and their deaths are being labeled a "suicide" by uneducated coroners. Time has come for education, if you are an ER Nurse, ER doctor, an Emergency worker in the field or that Coroner that does the autopsy, look for other clues as to whether this child was actually playing the "choking game" , know the differences. Don't just automatically think suicide, many of these incidents are accidental. Parents need closure and need to know.

Wednesday's Survivor Angel~~ Levi

2011-12-15T14:12:00.000-05:00

Levi Draher came back from the dead. Other players were not so lucky.

Levi Draher was clinically dead.He is a survivor Angel

A great article that explains the beginnings of our Ed4Ed4all mission: Levi Draher, he is our Wednesday Angel of the week, a Survivor Angel, here for a reason to help others, read his story.

Source: http://www.houstonpress.com/2007-04-19/news/the-choking-game/.

By Craig Malisow Thursday, Apr 19 2007
The 15-year-old's body is positioned with the knees on a stack of mattresses, the torso slumped forward with the neck pressed into a black nylon cord he had tied between two bed bunk posts. He's in an empty bedroom in his company barracks at the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen. The proud red MMA crest is emblazoned on his gold T-shirt. His shorts are red; his feet are bare.

A few yards away, through the open door to the bathroom connecting two bedrooms, Levi's roommate sits studying at a desk. The company's recent wave of low grades has put them on restriction and cost them tonight's Halloween party. If Levi had made any noise before the nylon sling clamped his carotid, his roommate wouldn't have been able to hear through his headphones.
Levi's mother, Carrie, is down the hall chatting with the drill instructor's wife. They're talking about next week's annual Marine Corps Ball. As a "company mom," Carrie is involved in the planning.

Carrie walks down the hall to Levi's room and sees her son's roommate through the open door. She knocks loud enough to snap him from his music.
"Where's Draher?" she asks.
The roommate turns to the bathroom, thinking Levi's in the shower. Hearing nothing, they walk through the bathroom and see the body. They rush forward, pull Levi from the sling and onto the floor. The roommate flies out the door.
It's Halloween; this is a joke, Carrie thinks.
"Stop it!" she tells her son. "It's not funny!"
Something's making her strong, because she grabs her only son by his cold blue arm and pulls his 160-pound body nearly upright. But his torso tumbles into her, followed a split second later by his head, which snaps forward and crashes into a desk, and the two crumple to the floor.
Carrie puts her ear to his chest, his lips. No heartbeat, no breath. She can't find a pulse. She draws what feels like the first breath she's taken since she saw the body and screams. With the next breath, she catches herself before the scream. She hears a word. Share. Without thinking, Carrie puts her mouth over Levi's and shares her air. Now the drill instructor's wife and the company kids rush into the room. One drops down and compresses Levi's chest. Levi makes a gurgling sound. When the medics arrive, Levi's seizing, his back arching off the ground. The medics try to intubate, but his jaw is welded shut, so they use the bag. It takes five adults to load his writhing body onto the backboard.
In the ambulance, Carrie is in the front seat, looking in the back. The tube connecting the breathing bag to Levi's mouth is clouded with blood. The medic at Levi's side sees Carrie's expression. He bit his tongue, the medic says.
While Carrie's at the hospital, waiting to hear from the doctors working on her boy, investigators are talking to the kids in Levi's company. What the hell is this, the investigators want to know. To the kids, it's obvious. Levi made himself pass out to get high. Some of the kids would do it to each other after taps, when they should be asleep. By the dim light of the bathroom sink or the glowing flames from a puddle of hand sanitizer they'd light on fire, they'd take machine-gun breaths and wait for the crushing bear hug from behind. Thing is, after they'd pass out, they'd get back up. That's how the choking game is played.

Their names and ages are listed on the Web site:
Brandon J. Myers, 12, Missouri
Elizabeth Pryor, 13, Georgia
Isaiah Mitchell, 9, Indiana
Casey Richards, 10, Ohio
These kids, and dozens more on the list, have killed themselves playing the choking game. Their carotid arteries have been squeezed to strangulation by the thumbs of friends. They have tied utility cords and scarves and ropes around their necks and to the tops of doors. They have bent over and hyperventilated to the point of hypocapnia, lowering the carbon dioxide in their blood. They have done this for a high that can be counted in seconds.
These names are on the Web site for GASP, Games Adolescents Shouldn't Play. It's a campaign launched by Sharron Grant of Ontario, Canada, whose 12-year-old son, Jesse, strangled himself with a computer cord while playing the choking game in 2005.
However, research is murky when it comes to how many kids die each year from playing the choking game. Grant's group has tallied 337 children's deaths worldwide since 1934. Those numbers also show a marked increase in U.S. deaths in the past few years. According to GASP, 30 kids died playing the game in 2004, 68 in 2005 and 81 in 2006. The group has recorded 18 deaths so far for 2007.
But Mark Lepore, assistant professor of counseling psychology at Pittsburgh's Chatham College, believes 1,800 people in the United States have died playing the game in the past ten years. The majority were children and teens. However, Lepore acknowledges that "it's really hard to make an accurate determination" as to exactly how many deaths can be attributed to the choking game. (Deaths attributed to the choking game are not to be confused with those attributed to autoerotic asphyxiation, in which masturbation and asphyxia are combined in the quest for a more powerful orgasm, and which typically involves older practitioners.)
The list of names on GASP's site grows every month, and Texas is not immune.
On March 7, 2007, Huntsville high school sophomore Blake Sandel died playing the game. His mother told The Huntsville Item that, on the day Blake died, he and his brother had plans to go to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Blake slipped into his bedroom to change clothes, and he never came out. His father found the body about 45 minutes later.

Besides Blake, the GASP site lists 14 deaths and one injury among Texas children playing the game. The average age is 13.
The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office originally ruled one of the cases a suicide, despite the protests of the family. That is another reason, researchers say, that true numbers are hard to find.
In that case, a 14-year-old Spring girl named Haley Kinney took one of the decorative scarves she liked to keep on her door and tied one end around her neck. She looped the other end around a hinge at the top of her bedroom door, kneeled on her beanbag and fell forward. As she asphyxiated, her mother, baby brother and twin brother Kirby went about their business upstairs.
When one of Haley's friends called, Kirby walked the phone downstairs to Haley's room. Coming down the steps, Kirby says, he saw the door creak partway open to reveal a single pale arm. He said she had a call, but there was no response. Once outside Haley's room, Kirby couldn't get the door to budge. He was up against the weight of his sister's dead body. He leaned into the door and then saw it again, the pale arm. Kirby screamed for his mom.
The way Kirby recalls it, the medics pronounced his sister dead on the scene.
"Ma'am," he remembers them telling his mom, "we need you to step away from her because she's dead."
Do not scream, Carrie Draher is telling herself. Do not lose your self-control, or they will take you away from him.
It's a mercifully quick trip to the hospital. In the trauma bay, the doctors let Carrie stand beside Levi for a few minutes. She holds his cold blue foot. But now it's time for them to take Levi, and a doctor leads her away. She knows where she's going. That room with the little couch and nice lighting where no one wants to go. She's going to a room where the only thing she can do is wait. In a moment, Heidi, the drill instructor's wife, is with her. Carrie can't sit still. She picks up the phone and calls family. There's been an accident. With each call, she feels more and more like she's planning a funeral.
The hospital chaplain appears at the door. She knows what that means. In the military, the only reason the chaplain appears is to administer the last rites.
"Is he dead?" Carrie asks. And when the chaplain says she just wanted to see if there's anything Carrie needs, she lets it out. She closes the door and screams.
Heidi grabs her. She tells Carrie not to block them out. The door opens and the chaplain enters. Heidi and the chaplain ask Carrie to pray. They lock hands at first, but then Carrie drops down, tucking her chest to her knees, laying her head on the floor. She's never felt more powerless. She knows she can't ask God to save Levi; that's not her place. But she still talks to God. She asks for peace and the ability to be strong for the family members who will soon be trickling through the hospital doors. And when she returns to her feet, she is bolstered with the most incredible sense of calm.
Finally stable after three hours of seizures, Levi is moved to pediatric ICU. Carrie is allowed to touch him. He's warmer than before, but still slightly blue. He's intubated and on life support. The doctor takes Carrie aside for a debriefing. Levi's lungs are badly damaged. His brain is swelling. His liver is failing. She tells Carrie that they can push all the oxygen in the world into Levi, but if his lungs can't feed his cells, there's nothing they can do except maintain a pulse. Carrie knows she's being prepped for brain death. She knows what's coming next, and she says, when the time comes, she and her husband will sign a do-not-resuscitate order.
Now her calm is tested by a wave of doubt. Had she done the right thing? Did she give Levi just enough breath to bring him back as a vegetable? Did she revive a brain-dead child?
The waiting stretches through the night, into day two, and on the morning of day three, while Carrie is sitting beside him, Levi's eyes open. Carrie calls for the doctors while a frightened Levi shoots up and reaches for the tube that's jammed down his throat. But Carrie tries to reassure him.
"There was an accident," Carrie says. "You're in a hospital. And if you just breathe with this machine that's helping you breathe, they'll take it out."
Levi lies back down, and the doctors remove the tube.
In a raspy whisper, Levi utters his first word since Carrie found him on the floor.
"Water," he says.

Of all the different names the choking game goes by -- space monkey, blackout, California dreaming -- perhaps the most appropriate is “suffocation roulette.”
That was the title of a 2003 report by Israeli doctors in Annals of Emergency Medicine. Their curious patient was a 12-year-old boy who had gone off to play with friends, only to return disoriented, two days in a row. The boy had told his father that he blacked out on both occasions, but he had no memory of the time immediately preceding the blackouts. The boy said he wasn't sniffing, smoking, drinking or shooting anything. He “denied physical abuse by his peers.” Stymied, the doctors ran a battery of tests. The boy finally fessed up when one doctor asked him point-blank if he knew anything about the choking game.
“We believe that this dangerous game should be brought to the attention of parents, physicians, educators and social service personnel,” the physicians wrote. “Recognition of this game as a possible cause of [passing out], together with prompt educative intervention, might prevent adolescent morbidity and mortality.”
Yet despite the efforts of organizations like GASP, it appears that kids are learning more about the game's fun than its danger. Critics are quick to point to MySpace and YouTube, where adolescent auteurs have recorded themselves playing the game solo or with friends. The videos star laughing, normal-looking kids, all waking up at the end, perfectly healthy. (YouTube's “code of conduct” states that users should not post “videos showing dangerous or illegal acts.” When asked if the choking game was a dangerous or illegal act, a spokesman for YouTube simply referred the Houston Press to the code of conduct.)
The folks at GASP would rather kids see the video of a 15-year-old Twin Cities boy named Ryan Tucker. That clip, on GASP's site, shows a kid who played the choking game and woke up with severe brain damage. Ryan now looks like he was born with cerebral palsy and spends his days in therapy, learning how to walk and trying to launch a ball into a brightly colored set of little plastic bowling pins.
In an article about the choking game, Julie Rosenbluth of the American Council for Drug Education wrote, “A child playing this game could lose consciousness within a minute and die in as little as 2–4 minutes, as the weight of their body further constricts blood and oxygen to the brain.”
According to Rosenbluth, most kids playing the game are between 9 and 14. “Many preteens and teens participate in this lethal game out of curiosity — not rebellion, depression or anger,” she wrote. “The game may be played by kids who are not outwardly at-risk — students who may do well in school and are close with their families. To many kids, the choking game seems like a harmless way to get a rush.”
This description would have applied to Haley Kinney, the popular 14-year-old girl the Harris County Medical Examiner's Office originally believed committed suicide in a nearly full house, leaving behind neither a note nor a history of depression or suicidal behavior. Haley's father, Gary Kinney, says he was unhappy with the initial police investigation and Medical Examiner's ruling. Seven months after he requested another investigation and examination, Haley's manner of death was changed to “undetermined.” Gary Kinney maintains that the ruling should be “accidental.”
Her brother says he and Haley learned of the choking game in sixth grade. It was the last week of school, during a “free day” where the students got to play outside on Strack Intermediate's field and gorge themselves on ice cream. One of the kids was showing the others how good it felt to hyperventilate and pass out. Kirby liked it immediately. He never knew how much Haley liked it. He never thought she played it after that week.
In seventh grade, Kirby saw the movie Life as a House, and watched as one of the characters tried to play the choking game by hanging himself from his closet clothes rack. To Kirby, it looked perfectly inviting. He would wait until the house was empty and then get the belt.
“I always seemed to land on my stomach, or something...and wake up,” he says.
Then, when it happened, when the medics were kneeling by Haley's body, Kirby ran upstairs and punched the walls. He threw chairs. The anger carried over into the classroom, and after the 29th time he was written up, Kirby transferred to Klein Annex, an alternative school. He needed to shake the stress, but he knew he could never play the choking game anymore. He tried marijuana for the first time and was surprised to find a familiar feeling. But his parents found out and put an end to that. And even Kirby wondered what he was doing. Haley abhorred drugs and would've been disappointed. He was going to have to get through this straight. But it would be hard for Kirby, knowing that this person who was always right there was gone.

“You're so used to her riding the bus with you every morning, and you're so used to y'all...racing back home,” he says. “And then you just don't have that anymore. You're walking home by yourself.”
After Haley died, Kirby says, he talked to her friends and found out she had been playing the game with another girl on several occasions. Space monkey, they called it. He had already known, but this news made the original suicide ruling even harder to bear. Kirby equates suicide with surrender, saying it is something his sister would never do. It's when talking about the original manner of death that Kirby slips into the present tense.
“Haley's not a failure, period,” he says. “She won't take that for an answer.”

On day five, Levi says, “I played the game.”
Investigators had been talking to him, trying to figure out what happened. Hazing? Attempted suicide? Autoerotic asphyxiation? Levi had been reluctant to talk. The choking game was a private thing, and he had only done it twice before on his own. Carrie doesn't know what to think; she's never heard of this before. So she does the research online and finds GASP. But she's not prepared for what she sees on the list of names. Boy, 15, Harlingen, 10/28/06. It's Levi. And she scrolls down, and down, and down, and tries to process all the names below his. And she looks back at her son's entry and sees something that sets it apart. An asterisk. On this list of dead, Levi is an exception. She feels she has to do something.
When she calls GASP, she says, “My name is Carrie Draher. My son is Boy, 15, Harlingen, 10/28/06.”
While Levi gathers his motor skills in therapy, Carrie reads everything she can about the choking game. Parents need to know. Kids need to be warned. They aren't listening. But maybe they'd listen to someone who actually died playing it. At first, Carrie and her husband are reluctant to parade Levi in front of the cameras like a freak. Months pass, and she talks with Levi. He says he's healthy enough to share his story with whoever will listen. Carrie and Levi now go to schools to help deliver a choking game awareness program. In March, the campaign landed Levi on the front page of The New York Times. From there, mother and son have gone on CNN, the Today show and Hannity, among others.
Levi loved the trip to New York, where he stayed in the Millennium Hotel. His pleasure was evident on the Today show, where he wore his MMA jacket and a big, goofy grin. The grin has been the subject of some discussion between mother and son. Levi is a happy kid, and he can't contort his face into a look of solemnity on cue, so whenever he's on camera, one might think his brain could still use some oxygen.
When the grin is brought up during an interview, he laughs and says, “I look blazed...don't I? Don't I?”
Levi does not reflect on the experience. He has no memory of it, so during an interview he'd rather discuss things that exist in the present, like his MySpace page or his favorite scenes from Borat. And as far as he's concerned, the few minutes of clinical death aren't enough to keep him from his dream of joining the Marines.
The Drahers have a long military background, and Levi had wanted to take on that tradition ever since he was five. He had researched military boarding schools in Texas until he found MMA, and he knew in an instant that's what he wanted. The Marines were the toughest. “First to fight,” he liked to say. The tuition is steep — $25,000 a year — but Levi's parents wanted to give him this chance.
Carrie says that MMA's administration was understanding, compassionate and willing to welcome Levi back after the accident. However, she wanted Levi to go to school in San Antonio until she's sure he's fully healed. She says two private schools would not accept Levi once administrators found out about his accident. So now Levi goes to a public school just up the road from his home. He hates it. He misses the military atmosphere.
He hasn't spoken with a recruiter yet, but is confident the Marines will gladly accept him because, he says, “I'm cool.” (The Press checked with the Marines and, according to a gunnery sergeant who runs a Marine recruiting substation in Webster, an accident like the one Levi suffered would not automatically disqualify him. Policy dictates that doctors would have to review his medical files to determine if there was any permanent damage.)
This afternoon, a gray-haired chauffeur in a black suit parks a black Lincoln Town Car outside the Drahers' apartment and knocks on the door. He is taking Carrie and Levi to a television studio downtown, where Geraldo Rivera will interview them via satellite. In the front seat, Levi fidgets. He's been on medication for ADHD since the third grade and, Carrie says, the fidgeting got worse after the accident. Fascinated by the electric seat adjuster, Levi floats forward and back, up and down.

In the studio, mother and son sit in tall chairs and stare into a television camera about five yards away. Geraldo's voice is channeled through their earpieces.
“Do you ever think about the fact that you were already on the other side there, and but for the intervention of your mom and others, you wouldn't have come back?” Geraldo asks.
“I guess I'm pretty special to be alive,” Levi says through The Grin.
Not one to suffer fools, Geraldo says, “Are you being sincere now, or are you being a wiseguy?”
It's as if Levi had the easy part in this whole thing. He had the luxury of passing out. As he waited to live or die, he didn't have to suffer, like Carrie. In the Lincoln on the way home, Carrie says that, for months after the accident, she heard wailing ambulances that weren't there. She lived in a haunted house, where she would walk into a room and see her son's corpse sprawled on the floor. And as she talks of this hell she had to live through, Levi is telling the chauffeur that you can make an explosive by mixing Mentos and Diet Coke.
Gradually, the phantom sirens faded, and Carrie wouldn't see her son's body everywhere. But the one thing that lingers is the panic that takes over outside a door. The hallucinations out in the open were one thing, but she never knows what's behind the door.
Levi's recovery was remarkable. He had been discharged on day six, in time for the Marine Corps Ball. Carrie was still in awe.
“He led me out on the floor for the traditional mother-son dance,” she recalls. “I had no idea what music was playing...I couldn't take my eyes off his face.”
She has that memory of his face, that same old Levi with the goofy grin who was returned to her for reasons she'll never understand. And she has the memory of a cold blue face with blind eyes. It's something that Levi doesn't understand now, and may not for a while, but whenever Carrie Draher stands outside her son's door, she never knows which face she's going to see.

Millbrae teen's death blammed on "choking game"

2011-12-13T04:27:00.000-05:00

Another child dies and we have to ask why? I had to post this report from Dan Noyes
a reporter from abc.com in California.

Dan Noyes , Chief Investigative Reporter

More: Bio, E-mail, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, News Team

MILLBRAE, Calif. (KGO) -- It goes by many names -- space monkey, Cali high, the choking game -- and it's a risky fad that appears to have claimed another young victim, a freshman from Mills High School in Millbrae. Child advocates say we're not putting any ideas into kids' heads by doing this story -- most already know about the choking game and it's important for parents to be warned. The parents of the boy who died this past Saturday asked the I-Team to tell this story. Phil and Elisabeth Piefer from Millbrae buried their son Friday. Dylan was just 14 years old.
"Very happy, full of life the day he died," said Dylan's mother, Elisabeth Piefer. "He was so happy that day, he cleaned his room up, I gave him $10 and he said, 'Thanks mom, I love you,' and that was the last I saw of him."
This past Saturday, Dylan told his parents he was heading to the park to meet friends. He climbed through a hole in the fence, walked the long path to the airport property that lines Highway 101 across from SFO. Just across the water is a popular meeting place; they call it "the fort."
Dylan was the first one there. His friends arrived to find him with a rope around his neck, attached to a tree about four feet from the ground.
"He was on his knees when they found him. There was no way that he was, you know, he could have got up," said Dylan's uncle, Kenny Piefer. "If his friends were there, they could have took the rope off him at least, if there was other people there with him."
"My friend Elisabeth came flying to my house screaming that her son was found dead over here," said family friend Christina Baugh.
San Mateo County sheriff's investigators are working the case as a suicide, but the coroner told the family it appeared to be something else.
"That a lot of children played the choking game and that's what it looked like it was," said Elisabeth Piefer.
The choking game has been around for years, but it's spreading because of online videos.
"This is like a how-to instructional video, how to do it, but be careful, don't kill yourself 'cause then it would suck if it's my fault," said the narrator in of these online videos.
There are many variations -- deep breaths and pressing on the chest, a headlock, using a rope, belt, bed sheet or curtain. The point is all the same -- cutting oxygen to the brain.
"I want to warn you, I think you lose like several billion brain cells each time you do it," said the video's narrator.
The rush comes as brain cells die. The twitching that's so common with someone who's passed out is actually a seizure. There's also the danger of broken bones, if no one is there to catch and a kid lands hard.
The danger of death grows exponentially when someone does this when they're alone.
"It's definitely not safe because you don't have a lot of control over what you're doing," says adolescent therapist Jennifer Tan.
Tan works with the Bay Area Center for Adolescents, and she has treated kids who've experimented with the choking game.
"It's maybe considered a safe way to experiment with a different state of mind because drugs aren't used," she said.
It's difficult to track just how many kids die from the choking game; they're often simply ruled a suicide.
While Dylan's investigation moves forward, his classmates and teachers at Mills High are being offered grief counseling. They've been writing their thoughts on a banner for him.
Even on this, the most painful of days, Dylan's parents want you to hear their story, hoping something good can come from such tragedy.
"And I have the biggest hole in my heart and I hope no other parent ever, ever has to go through this," said Dylan's mother. "It's heartbreaking over something just so silly."
Investigators are checking reports of an adult male seen heading into the trees with Dylan just before he died.
Those instructional videos are all over the Internet, in fact, parents' groups use them to explain the warning signs, such as marks on the neck, bloodshot eyes, or persistent headaches. I give the full rundown in a new I-Team Blog here.
If you have a tip for the I-Team, send us an e-mail here or call 1-888-40-I-TEAM.

Is It Really Worth The Risk?

2011-12-07T00:24:00.001-05:00

What does playing around with risky substances do for your skin? your hair? your teeth? do I need to go on? Just watch the video of Meth users and ask yourself if it is really worth the risk or the high?

I don't know about you, I want to keep my teeth: meth eats your teeth up
Meth users feel like they have "bugs" crawling all over them, hence the word "crank bugs" so they pick holes in their skin. That is where you see the scabs all over the face and body.
Meth users don't sleep, for days, weeks at a time. They don't eat, that is why all these users look so bad now. Not to mention what they have done to the internal organs of the body.

Keep your teeth, Leave it alone!!!

So what the heck is meth: Educate yourself ...

Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Although most of the methamphetamine used in this country comes from foreign or domestic super-labs, the drug is also easily made in small clandestine laboratories, with relatively inexpensive over-the-counter ingredients. These factors combine to make methamphetamine a drug with high potential for widespread abuse.
Methamphetamine is commonly known as "speed," "meth," and "chalk." In its smoked form, it is often referred to as "ice," "crystal," "crank," and "glass." It is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that easily dissolves in water or alcohol. The drug was developed early last century from its parent drug, amphetamine, and was used originally in nasal decongestants and bronchial inhalers. Like amphetamine, methamphetamine causes increased activity and talkativeness, decreased appetite, and a general sense of well-being. However, methamphetamine differs from amphetamine in that at comparable doses, much higher levels of methamphetamine get into the brain, making it a more potent stimulant drug. It also has longer lasting and more harmful effects on the central nervous system.
Methamphetamine comes in many forms and can be smoked, snorted, injected, or orally ingested. The preferred method of methamphetamine abuse varies by geographical region and has changed over time. Smoking methamphetamine, which leads to very fast uptake of the drug in the brain, has become more common in recent years, amplifying methamphetamine's addiction potential and adverse health consequences.
The drug also alters mood in different ways, depending on how it is taken. Immediately after smoking the drug or injecting it intravenously, the user experiences an intense rush or "flash" that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Snorting or oral ingestion produces euphoria - a high but not an intense rush. Snorting produces effects within 3 to 5 minutes, and oral ingestion produces effects within 15 to 20 minutes.
As with similar stimulants, methamphetamine most often is used in a "binge and crash" pattern. Because the pleasurable effects of methamphetamine disappear even before the drug concentration in the blood falls significantly - users try to maintain the high by taking more of the drug. In some cases, abusers indulge in a form of binging known as a "run," foregoing food and sleep while continuing abuse for up to several days.

Methamphetamine vs. Cocaine

What are the long-term
effects of methamphetamine abuse?

Long-term methamphetamine abuse has many negative consequences, including addiction. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, accompanied by functional and molecular changes in the brain. In addition to being addicted to methamphetamine, chronic abusers exhibit symptoms that can include anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior. They also can display a number of psychotic features, including paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and delusions (for example, the sensation of insects creeping under the skin). Psychotic symptoms can sometimes last for months or years after methamphetamine abuse has ceased, and stress has been shown to precipitate spontaneous recurrence of methamphetamine psychosis in formerly psychotic methamphetamine abusers.
With chronic abuse, tolerance to methamphetamine's pleasurable effects can develop. In an effort to intensify the desired effects, abusers may take higher doses of the drug, take it more frequently, or change their method of drug intake. Withdrawal from methamphetamine occurs when a chronic abuser stops taking the drug; symptoms of withdrawal include depression, anxiety, fatigue, and an intense craving for the drug.

Chronic methamphetamine abuse also significantly changes the brain. Specifically, brain imaging studies have demonstrated alterations in the activity of the dopamine system that are associated with reduced motor speed and impaired verbal learning. Recent studies in chronic methamphetamine abusers have also revealed severe structural and functional changes in areas of the brain associated with emotion and memory, which may account for many of the emotional and cognitive problems observed in chronic methamphetamine abusers.
Fortunately, some of the effects of chronic methamphetamine abuse appear to be, at least partially, reversible. A recent neuroimaging study showed recovery in some brain regions following prolonged abstinence (2 years, but not 6 months). This was associated with improved performance on motor and verbal memory tests. However, function in other brain regions did not display recovery even after 2 years of abstinence, indicating that some methamphetamine-induced changes are very long-lasting. Moreover, the increased risk of stroke from the abuse of methamphetamine can lead to irreversible damage to the brain.

Short-term effects may include:

Increased attention and decreased fatigue
Increased activity and wakefulness
Decreased appetite
Euphoria and rush
Increased respiration
Rapid/irregular heartbeat
Hyperthermia

Long-term effects may include:

Addiction
Psychosis, including:
- paranoia
- hallucinations
- repetitive motor activity
Changes in brain structure and function
Memory Loss
Aggressive or violent behavior
Mood disturbances
Severe dental problems
Weight loss

Great information from NIDA: http://drugabuse.gov/NIDAHome.html
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) , a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Wednesday's Angel ~ Kevin Tork~

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Every week these posts get harder and harder to do without tears, thinking of each of these children that have suffered or died from a preventable risk taking behavior just breaks my heart. I am sure not as much as these parents have had to endure though, the loss of their child. That is why we her at Ed4Ed4All continue our battle to prevent useless injury and death from deadly youth risk behaviors.
This week's Wednesday Angel is Kevin Tork the son of our dear Ken Tork, and has a special place in all of our hearts just like last week's Angel : Braden did, he was the grandson of Lyndi Trost. So many Angels.............why do they have to die?

http://www.forkevinssake.com/Content.asp?KEY=HOME

This is quoted from Ken's blog about Kevin : "For Kevin's Sake"

Our family experienced a horrible tragedy. We lost our 15-year old son Kevin on a Monday night to a craze that has invaded our children’s lives, called “the choking game”. Before I tell you about how he died I would like to tell you a little about how he lived.

Kevin was the perfect son in every way. He was happy and fun loving and caring, He would be the first to jump in without being asked and help where needed. He loved his family fiercely. He loved to laugh and make others laugh. He was in several plays in school. He loved music, basketball, writing poetry and stories. He loved making swords and models and he was the most honest young man there has ever been. He truly was perfect in every way. We told each other several times a day that we loved each other and we hugged multiple times a day.

Everyone I have talked to has told me how special he was, and you just felt it when you were in his presence. I am just now finding out how truly amazing this kid was. His classmates got to see a side of him I never did because at home he was our baby boy. Home was where he came to be a kid. When he walked out that door every morning he turned into this strong young man that I can now only know through his friends' stories or his journals. His love for other people just reached out to you with out you even knowing it. One of his classmates told us that 5 minutes after she met him she felt she knew him her whole life.

The finality of burying your son:
A headstone was finally added to Kevin's burial plot after 2000 kids were informed by Ken about the Choking Game.

This is KING-5/Seattle's coverage of that April 30, 2011 event:

A message from Ken (Kevin's dad)

Please don’t go back to your lives and forget Kevin Tork. He would have sacrificed himself for any one of your children and never thought twice about it. Cherish every second you have with your child. Our world changed on Monday March 30th, 2009 at 6:37pm. Will yours' change? Will one of you be next? Let's work together and stop this deadly, fatal activity before it takes your child.
Let me leave you with this: I had a customer email me about a conversation that took place in the back of her best friend's car. Her friends daughter was sitting with a friend and the friend said ”Let me show you this neat game I learned today. I put my hands around your neck and squeeze until you get dizzy. Its really fun and it feels good.” Both girls are 7 yrs old. So if you think it cant happen to your child ... think again.

Educate yourself, Educate your kids, Save a life! Angels need to stay a while here on earth until it is really time (God's time) for them to go.

Wednesday's Angels ~ Braden Erickson (1992-2005)

2011-11-23T02:48:00.001-05:00

~~Braden Erickson (1992-2005)~~

No farewell words were spoken........
No time to say goodbye........
You were gone before we knew it
And only God knows why.

http://braden-erickson.memory-of.com/About.aspx

His family is convinced that he died engaging a particularly lethal type of risky behavior. It is known as "The Choking Game", "Pass Out". "American Dream", "Flatliner", "Space Monkey" and various other names. Kids have been participating in this activity for generations. Frequently, deaths caused by this game are mislabeled as suicides by the authorities. Kids believe it is a safe activity. Obviously, that is not true. The weapon in the campaign to stop these deaths is information. Most adults have no idea that their children are doing this. For more information about this lethal activity, go to www.stop-the-choking-game.com

and for more education www.ed4ed4all.com

Click link to view In Loving Memory of Braden Euqene Erickson. This video was created by Denise Bruckner, Austin Bruckner's Mom. Austin also died participating in the "Choking Game" Thanks so much, Denise.

He was such a sweet, funny, loving, intelligent generous person just undergoing the transition from boy to young man. He had started wearing cologne but he still slept with his little brown stuffed bunny. He had endless patience when it came to something he really wanted to do. Fishing for example, or stalking dragon flies or lizards.

He had many friends in Alaska, on the island of Maui where he lived with his family for two years, and in Tolleson, Arizona where he and his family had lived for the past two years. He kept in touch with his friends in Alaska and Maui.

Braden loved life and he loved all of God's creatures. He had a special affinity for reptiles and was the proud owner of a ball python named Squeeze, a monitor lizard and another smaller snake. The family also has a black toy poodle and a pot bellied pig both of which Braden played with and helped to care for.

Braden was born on February 19, 1992. His little brother, Jesse was born on February 20, 2002, ten years and one day later. Braden thought of Jess as his birthday present and watched over him like a guardian angel. Jess misses him so!! He has told his Mom he doesn't want Brady to be in heaven any more. He wants him to come home.

Shortly before he died, Braden used his Birthday money to pay for some of his friends to get into a dance at school. He was always willing to share whatever he had with others. He would not stand by and watch a bully torment a smaller or weaker child, and he would not back down from a bully.

The ongoing theme in all of the letters his family received from his friends and classmates after his death was that he made everyone laugh. He had an off-the-wall sense of humor. which he used to brighten the world around him. The outpouring of affection for him was amazing. His classmates organized a car wash. His teachers purchased and delivered to his family a package of school pictures which he had not yet picked up. His friends in Tolleson and Wasilla had tee shirts made in his honor and wore them to school. There was standing room only at his service. Several of his classmates spoke. The school that he attended in Kehei, Maui sent two fresh flower leis.

Click here to see Braden Erickson's

Family Tree

Our Angel this week reminds us why we are thankful for small blessings

All I Want For Christmas

I know you feel this is the first Christmas without me,

And all these Christmas decorations you can’t stand to see._

I know you keep asking God “why?”,

I also know you sometimes late at night you lay in your bed and cry.

I know this will be hard but there are some things I need you to do for me,

This Christmas do a little make-believe.

I want you to smile, when you want to cry,

I want you to live, even when you feel like you want to die.

When your heart has no song, I still want you to sing,

When your hands don’t feel like cooking,

I want to make that sweet potato pie to bring.

I want you to laugh when the kids sing Jingle Bells,

And I want you to get your Christmas cards done and mailed.

I know this seems like a lot to ask of you,

But in return this is what I will do.

I will be there to wrap my arms around you when you are down,

I will make sure you hear a joke to make you smile instead of frown.

I will help you remember the words to even the hardest Christmas song,

But most of all, I will help you understand that Heaven is where I truly belong.

So this Christmas season, I’ll still be there,

I will be the cold wind that blows you hair.

I will be in the twinkle in the lights on your Christmas tree,

I will be in the sound of the children’s voice as they sing,

And I will be in the giggle you hear when they open the gifts you bring.

I’ll be in the scent of Christmas dinner in the air,

And when you feel that special “warmth” you’ll know I am there.

So this isn’t the first Christmas without me,

Just look around and there I will be……..

by Rachel

Do you have a child or teen that has died and been lost to a senseless act of youth risk behaviors, we would love to have permission to feature their story and help their

legacy live on to help others. Please email me Leslie ernursescare@charter.net and I will be glad to help you.

Are smart kids more likely to use drugs?

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Fact Sheet

Are smart kids more likely to use drugs?

An ambitious new study suggests a surprising link between a child's IQ and his use of illegal substances as an adult

previously posted on Alltop.com here

Photo: CORBIS

Classroom know-it-alls may be more likely to experiment with drugs as they enter adulthood, according to a new study.

Smart kids are more likely to use drugs such as marijuana and cocaine when they grow up — and the likelihood is stronger among females than males — according to a new British study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Researchers have previously posited that children with a high IQ can grow up to be heavier drinkers. Now drugs, too? A concise guide to the findings:

What was the study's methodology?Researchers tracked about 8,000 people across three decades, recording their IQ scores at age 5 and again at age 10, says Makiko Kitamura at Bloomberg Businessweek. As adults, "participants were asked about use of substances including cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines, ecstasy, LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, crack and heroin."

And what did they find?
Subjects "who had high IQs when they were aged 5 and 10 were more likely to use certain illicit drugs at age 16 and at age 30," says Denise Mann at Web MD. In particular, women with high IQ scores at 5 years of age were "more than twice as likely" to have smoked marijuana or tried cocaine by age 30 than women with lower IQs. As for men who tested well as kids, 50 percent were more likely to use amphetamines like speed, 65 percent more likely to have tried ecstasy, and, overall, 57 percent more likely to have used two or more illegal drugs by the time they hit 30.

Why are smart kids more likely to use drugs?
While parents may find the results "surprising at first glance," intelligent children fit the "established" profile of drug experimenters in many ways, says Karen Kaplan at the Los Angeles Times. Among the social factors that can lead individuals to try drugs are boredom and a "tendency to be teased" by peers as a child. (Drugs could be used as a "coping strategy.") Moreover, smarter individuals are typically more willing to try new things. As the researchers note: "High-IQ individuals have also been known to score highly on tests of stimulation seeking and openness to experience" — which illegal drugs can provide.

What do you think?
Sources: Bloomberg Businessweek, LA Times, Web MD

Wednesday blessings ~~ Our angels

2011-11-16T08:30:00.000-05:00

~~~Joshua~~~

10/11/97 - 6/13/11

Another Angel in Heaven because of the Choking or Fainting game, another kid dead, yes, he is really gone! This does not have to happen, Joshua was only 13 yrs old, his entire life was in front of him. News Article about Josh's death with a video

Each Wednesday instead of a senseless picture posting we will feature one of our Angels, kids that we have lost due to youth risk behaviors, poor choices and lack of knowledge. Hopefully this will be an important reminder to parents, teachers and kids that "games" that involve "risk taking behaviors" such as the "Choking Game" , Pharm or pill parties, Self Destructive or mutilation behaviors, Huffing and inhalant abuse, synthetic drugs such as "bath salts" or K2 are only a road that leads down a "dead end" street. Death is not selective, it can sneak up on you the first time you make a poor choice or the 100th time you do, so why play Russian roulette with your life?
Educate yourself, your kids, your students and save a life. Might even be your child's life.

More information and downloadable free educational materials available on our website here http://ed4ed4all.com

Now there is "Fake weed" with real dangers

2011-11-12T03:03:00.001-05:00

We worry about marijuana and other drugs, but now synthetic versions of these dangerous substances tease our kids and send invitations out to party, only to leave
them with an invitation to a Russian roulette party game that they did not plan on playing. Educate yourself on these newer forms of dangerous substances, here is one article about K2 or "fake weed" ........ more to come...

From examiner.com:
There is a new and dangerous “fake weed” drug known as K2 that is becoming popular among America’s teenagers. Although it’s referred to as “fake,” the dangers to teens are very real. The marijuana-like substance can cause hallucinations, vomiting, agitation and other dangerous side effects, according to Fox News.
What Is K2?
K2 is a mixture of herbal and spice plant products, but it is sprayed with a potent drug that is causing many adverse effects. It sells for about $30-$40 per three-gram bag, and is more potent than marijuana. K2 is made to be a potpourri or an incense, and it can be burned in a small burner. However, a growing number of teens are choosing to smoke it. K2 can be purchased in local smoke shops.
The Dangers of K2:
K2 “fake weed” causes the usual side effects of marijuana, like sleepiness, relaxation, reduced blood pressure, and at high doses, hallucinations and delusions. However, unlike marijuana, K2 also produces increased agitation, elevated blood pressure and high heart rates. Leading physicians agree that the “fake weed” is dangerous. "It's like playing Russian roulette. You don't know what it's going to do to you," Clemson University’s organic chemist John Huffman told Fox News. In Missouri, a 14-year-old vomited, suffered seizures, and even quit breathing after smoking a small amount of K2. He remained unconscious for five hours and spent the night in the ICU. Similar cases are being reported across the country, including 14 right here in Georgia. A teen in Atlanta went into a coma and almost died this past weekend. He has since recovered fully, but he considers himself lucky and is telling other teens about the dangers of K2. Georgia legislators are currently trying to ban the synthetic pot.
K2 Usage is on the Increase:
Because K2 is generally considered an “herbal smoke,” reports of its increased usage are cropping up all over the country," explains Dr. Anthony Scaizo, a professor of toxicology at Saint Louis University. "I think K2 is likely a bigger problem than we're aware of at this time," he added.
What’s a Parent To Do?
Be sure to research K2 and become familiar with its dangers. Talk to your teenagers about this latest herbal drug, and why it is so dangerous. Hopefully, armed with information, your teen will choose not to abuse. K2 is no laughing matter.
To read more about K2, click here to read the complete report from Fox News. Click here to read more about the teen from Missouri who almost died from K2.
Click here to view a local report about K2 from WSB-TV in Atlanta.
Sources: Fox News and KY3 TV

Video you need to see:
http://www.wsbtv.com/videos/news/teen-on-ventilator-after-k-2-use/vCcDW/

Stay safe and educate
Leslie~~ Ed4Ed4all.com

A Challenge for YOU! We Can Do this!!

2011-11-03T05:29:00.001-04:00

National Choking Game Awareness Conference for Advocates to convene!! We need to reach far and wide! It's FREE , just takes a second of your time. Placing 2 votes, every day will be my routine for the month - will you take on the same challenge? 2 Votes every day: http://www.refresheverything.com/chokinggame AND Text* 109321 to Pepsi (73774) We can do this! Vote, Share, repeat for 30 days :)

Please Please vote and help us spread the word, working together advocates can help end the deaths of kids by the "Choking Game" and other risky behaviors.

Leslie Block RN - Ed4Ed4all- Injury Prevention Specialist

Our New Website!!

2011-10-10T23:56:00.000-04:00

http://www.ed4ed4all.com

Our fabulous Lyndi Trost (Network Director of Ed4Ed) has created the new ed4ed4all.com website and it is awesome, page after page of great information, events, videos, alerts and news for parents, free downloadable materials, how to get involved and links to resources.

This organization is dedicated to those young people who have been needlessly injured or killed as a result of participating in behaviors without adequate information concerning the risks they are taking. We as a group are aware of about 1,000 such young people and the number is increasing steadily. To prevent these senseless tragedies,

Education is the essential element:

Understanding Choices

Weighing Chances

Evaluating potential outcomes - Benefits vs, Risk

in guiding our youth to healthy choices ushering in bright futures.

Scientific research and professionals concur: Youth will take risks. Scientific research based on youth studies conclude: Knowledge is the single factor that determines the risks they will choose to take. Risk experimentation ends in needless tragedy and experience is not the best teacher.

Many of our members have been personally affected by these behaviors which include but are not limited to "The Choking Game'. Emo, Dusting and Pharm Parties.

Mission Statement

The Ed4Ed mission is to provide an aid to be shared free of cost with all who care for youth. The single goal is elimination of youth dying and suffering grave injury due to a simple lack of knowledge. These senseless tragedies can be prevented. This will be accomplished through awareness of and education about emerging youth risk behavior trends.

To be effective the program must be efficient, flexible, adaptable, accessible, easy to use and offered freely.

So what are you waiting for? come on over and check out our new website and tell us what you think.

Bullying- what is it? how can I be more aware and help stop it!

2011-10-06T02:37:00.000-04:00

Bullying, what is it, and what do we look for,how do we get help? October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month and we here at Ed4Ed4all would like to give you the information to help you be more aware of this problem that seems to be spreading like a virus and affecting our children all over the world.

Bullying is a widespread and serious problem that can happen anywhere. It is not a phase children have to go through, it is not "just messing around", and it is not something to grow out of. Bullying can cause serious and lasting harm.
Although definitions of bullying vary, most agree that bullying involves:

Imbalance of Power: people who bully use their power to control or harm and the people being bullied have a hard time defending themselves

Intent to Cause Harm: actions done by accident are not bullying; the person bullying has a goal to cause harm

Repetition: incidents of bullying happen to the same the person over and over by the same person or group

Types of Bullying:
Bullying can take many forms. Examples include:

Verbal: name-calling, teasing

Social: spreading rumors, leaving people out on purpose, breaking up friendships

Physical: hitting, punching, shoving

Cyberbullying: using the Internet, mobile phones or other digital technologies to harm others

An act of bullying may fit into more than one of these groups.

There are many warning signs that could indicate that someone is involved in bullying, either by bullying others or by being bullied. However, these warning signs may indicate other issues or problems as well. If you are a parent or educator, learn more about talking to someone about bullying.

Signs and Symptoms of Being Bullied

Comes home with damaged or missing clothing or other belongings
Reports losing items such as books, electronics, clothing, or jewelry
Has unexplained injuries
Complains frequently of headaches, stomachaches, or feeling sick
Has trouble sleeping or has frequent bad dreams
Has changes in eating habits
Hurts themselves
Is very hungry after school from not eating lunch
Runs away from home
Loses interest in visiting or talking with friends
Is afraid of going to school or other activities with peers
Loses interest in school work or begins to do poorly in school
Appears sad, moody, angry, anxious or depressed when they come home
Talks about suicide
Feels helpless
Oftens feel like they are not good enough
Blames themselves for their problems
Suddenly has fewer friends
Avoids certain places
Acts differently than usual

Bullying Others

Becomes violent with others

Gets into physical or verbal fights with others

Gets sent to the principal’s office or detention a lot

Has extra money or new belongings that can’t be explained

Is quick to blame others

Will not accept responsibility for their actions

Has friends who bully others

Needs to win or be best at everything

There are things you can do to stop the bullying. Visit pages that apply directly to you:

Kids

Teens

Young Adults

If you are a parent or guardian, talk to the school administration or the adult that supervises your child’s community activities.
Parents: What to Do When Bullying Continues or Gets Worse If the bullying gets worse and you need additional help, consider the following if:

Scenario	Solution
Someone is at immediate risk of harm because of bullying.	Contact the police (911)
Your child is feeling suicidal because of bullying.	Contact the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Your child’s teacher is not keeping him/her safe from being bullied.	Contact the Local School Administrator (principal or superintendent)
Your school is not keeping your child safe from being bullied.	Contact the State School Department
Your child is sick, stressed, not sleeping, or is having other problems because of bullying	Contact your counselor or other health professional
Your child is being bullied because of their race, ethnicity, or disability, and local help is not working to solve the problem.	Contact the U.S. Department of Education’s Office on Civil Rights

Please note that though the Federal Departments of Health and Human Services and Education care deeply about bullying, they are limited in their ability to intervene in specific cases; bullying and other discipline policies and laws are set at the state and local levels.

What is Cyberbullying??
Cyberbullying, instead of happening face-to-face, happens through the use of technology such as computers, cell phones and other electronic devices. Cyberbullying peaks around the end of middle school and the beginning of high school.
Examples of cyberbullying include:

Sending hurtful, rude, or mean text messages to others

Spreading rumors or lies about others by e-mail or on social networks

Creating websites, videos or social media profiles that embarrass, humiliate, or make fun of others

Bullying online is very different from face-to-face bullying because messages and images can be:

Sent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year

Shared to a very wide audience

Sent anonymously.

LGBT bullying :

If you experience bullying or violence for ANY reason, YOU have a right to:

Live your life free from fear

Be safe and protected

A supportive home, community and/or school environment

Thrive physically, psychologically, socially and academically

If you experience bullying or violence because you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT), or others think you are LGBT, remember that YOU:

Matter and have a place in the world

Are NOT alone - help and support is only a phone call away.

Can be proud of who you are.

LGBT bullying has the same warning signs and effects as other forms of bullying.

Risk Factors of LGBT Bullying

Young LGBT people may be more at-risk for bullying. Compared to their heterosexual peers, some LGBT kids, teens and young adults are at increased risk for bullying, teasing, harassment, physical assault, and suicide-related behaviors.
Over a ten-year period more than 7,000 LGBT middle and high school students (aged 13-21), were surveyed. The results were published in The 2009 National School Climate Survey. The survey found that in the preceding year, because of their sexual orientation:

Eight in ten LGBT students had been verbally harassed at school
Four in ten had been physically harassed at school
Six in ten felt unsafe at school
One in five had been the victim of a physical assault at school

Unfortunately, these types of experiences with violence also occur outside of school and may continue into young adulthood.
Young LGBT people may be more at-risk for sexual discrimination and bias. Young LGBT individuals may be bullied as a part of sexual/gender discrimination and bias by their schoolmates, ethnic or religious groups or by other societal concerns related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Effects of Bullying

Bullying has serious and lasting effects. While these effects may also be caused by other factors, research has found bullying has significant effects for those who are bullied, those who bully others, and those who witness bullying.

People Who are Bullied:

Have higher risk of depression and anxiety, including the following symptoms, that may persist into adulthood:
- Increased feelings of sadness and loneliness
- Changes in sleep and eating patterns
- Loss of interest in activities
Have increased thoughts about suicide that may persist into adulthood. In one study, adults who recalled being bullied in youth were 3 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts or inclinations.
Are more likely to have health complaints. In one study, being bullied was associated with physical health status 3 years later.
Have decreased academic achievement (GPA and standardized test scores) and school participation.
Are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.
Are more likely to retaliate through extremely violent measures. In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied.

People Who Bully Others:

Have a higher risk of abusing alcohol and other drugs in adolescence and as adults.
Are more likely to get into fights, vandalize property, and drop out of school.
Are more likely to engage in early sexual activity.
Are more likely to have criminal convictions and traffic citations as adults. In one study, 60% of boys who bullied others in middle school had a criminal conviction by age 24.
Are more likely to be abusive toward their romantic partners, spouses or children as adults.

People Who Witness Bullying:

Have increased use of tobacco, alcohol or other drugs.
Have increased mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
Are more likely to miss or skip school.

Information from the Stop Bullying.gov website visit for more information, credit due to stopbullying.gov for the great info

Online Resources for more info:

The ABCs of Bullying: Addressing, Blocking, and Curbing School Aggression (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
Bullying and Victimization: What Adults Can Do [PDF] (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
COPS Teen Action Toolkit [PDF]
This toolkit includes a blueprint for engaging youth in community problem solving around the issue of teen victimization. Teen Action Partnership for Teen Victims is a youth-led civic engagement program designed to improve local policies, outreach, and services to teen victims of crime.
Electronic Aggression (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
“Make Time To Listen...Take Time To Talk...ABOUT BULLYING” [PDF] (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) State School Health Policy Database
Out on a Limb: A Guide to Getting Along
Designed for second to fourth graders, this interactive guide helps children work through conflict.
Some Facts About Bullying Among Children and Young People [PDF]
This information sheet describes what we know about children and youth who bully, including how much bullying is actually happening, where bullying occurs, and what group bullying looks like.
STRYVE: Striving to Reduce Violence Everywhere (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
To BullyProof or Not to BullyProof: That is the Question (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Youth Violence Prevention (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Child Mind Institute

LGBT Resources

Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
It Gets Better Project
President Obama's video is just one of thousands of videos submitted by people across the country to inspire and encourage LGBT youth who are struggling. You can watch more videos at ItGetsBetterProject.com .
Welcoming Schools
COLAGE
Matthew Shepard Foundation
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LBGTQ youth by providing resources and a nationwide, 24-hour hotline. If you are considering suicide or need help, call: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).

Evidence-Based Programs

Our Mission, Our Passion in any language the same

2011-08-20T20:29:00.000-04:00

Click here for more information

ED4ED –OUR MISSION – OUR PASSION
“Les passions sont les seuls orateurs qui persuadent toujours. Elles sont comme
un art de la nature dont les règles sont infaillibles; et l'homme le plus simple qui
a de la passion persuade mieux que le plus éloquent qui n'en a point.”

The passions are the only advocates which always persuade. They are a natural art, the rules of which are infallible; and the simplest man with passion will be more persuasive than the most eloquent without. –~~ François de La Rochefoucauld

Love know no boundaries, neither does education.....it should be available to all who want and need it. Whether you are a professional educator or a lay person, this education is available to you, free. Because that is what we do, share our mission and passion with all, 4 all!

Leslie Block RN
Injury Prevention Specialist Ed4Ed4all.com

Do you have hidden risks at home?

2011-08-19T01:56:00.000-04:00

Got kids? then you always have possible "hidden risks" Educate yourself! Educate others about youth risk behaviors that kill.

New Ed4Ed4all brochure: who are we?

2011-08-18T01:22:00.000-04:00

The brochure tells it all, dedicated warriors who care about your children,Education is the Key to Prevention! As parents we all need to be very aware of the possible risky behaviors our kids might encounter. Long gone is the day that parents could be in denial and think "oh not my kid, I have good kids". That mindset can mean death for your child in this day and time. Whether it's the dreaded "choking game", "pharm parties", "huffing and dusting" or "Emo activities, we all need to be smart and know what all these are to prevent them from happening in your child's life.

Ed4Ed Education for Educators at OneTrueMedia.com

2011-07-26T20:37:00.001-04:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Deadly Trend is killing our teens,Today Show features Ken Tork

2011-06-02T03:21:00.000-04:00

Another tragedy unfolds as a 13 year old girl dies due to the senseless "choking
game" Our own Ken Tork is in this video from the Today show yesterday morning.
Great job Ken!!
We talk to our teens about drugs, drinking, sex and all things related to the teen years, but have you ever talked to your tween or teen about a deadly trend called "the choking game"? As a parent do you even know what the choking game is?? Time is now to educate yourself, or you might be the next parent in the video mourning the loss of your child due to something totally preventable.

Educate yourself! Educate your kids!
Leslie Block RN
Ed4Ed Injury Prevention Specialist

Deny The Lies?

2011-01-25T03:50:00.000-05:00

You can't deny forensic pictures now can you?? So don't deny the lies!! Educate yourselves and your kids about the true dangers of this "game" that is not a "game", it is "life or death" only!

Newest Teen Trends

2010-06-26T10:49:00.000-04:00

Newest Teen Trends - This is an excellent review of new and emerging trends in risk behaviors and includes "The Choking Game". I have written and thanked Ms. Springsteen for her work. She has featured our "Survivor" video. I am researching these emerging trends. Once I have documentation of these incidents (for our research folder) I will include them in the presentation materials. As always - to all of our intervention advocates - KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

Child Safety 101: What is the Choking Game?

2010-06-20T13:48:00.000-04:00

Child Safety 101: What is the Choking Game?

Ed4Ed4All "Deadly Games"

Enduring the death of a child is heartbreaking- Do something!

12 Terrifying Teen 'Games' Your Kid Could Be Playing

12 Terrifying Teen 'Games' Your Kid Could Be Playing

So many Angels~~ still so many stupid people~

What are the signs??

A Wednesday Angel~~ Cody

Schoolboy's Death was an accident~

Schoolboy's death was an accident says new inquest

CHOKED: William Lippell Stanesby

Wednesday's Survivor Angel~~ Levi

Levi Draher came back from the dead. Other players were not so lucky.

Millbrae teen's death blammed on "choking game"

Is It Really Worth The Risk?

What are the long-term effects of methamphetamine abuse?

Wednesday's Angel ~ Kevin Tork~

Wednesday's Angels ~ Braden Erickson (1992-2005)

Are smart kids more likely to use drugs?

Are smart kids more likely to use drugs?

An ambitious new study suggests a surprising link between a child's IQ and his use of illegal substances as an adult

Wednesday blessings ~~ Our angels

Now there is "Fake weed" with real dangers

A Challenge for YOU! We Can Do this!!

Please Please vote and help us spread the word, working together advocates can help end the deaths of kids by the "Choking Game" and other risky behaviors.

Leslie Block RN - Ed4Ed4all- Injury Prevention Specialist

Our New Website!!

Bullying- what is it? how can I be more aware and help stop it!

Risk Factors of LGBT Bullying

Effects of Bullying

People Who are Bullied:

People Who Bully Others:

People Who Witness Bullying:

LGBT Resources

Evidence-Based Programs

Our Mission, Our Passion in any language the same

Do you have hidden risks at home?

New Ed4Ed4all brochure: who are we?

Ed4Ed Education for Educators at OneTrueMedia.com

Deadly Trend is killing our teens,Today Show features Ken Tork

Deny The Lies?

Newest Teen Trends

Child Safety 101: What is the Choking Game?

What are the long-term
effects of methamphetamine abuse?