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Sunbury students in dangerous ‘passing out’ game
14 Apr 09 @ 09:00am by Caitlin Ryan
A SUNBURY school says some of its students have been caught taking part in a dangerous asphyxiation game.
Salesian College student services deputy principal Tullio Zavattiero has now written to parents highlighting the dangers of the passing out “game”.
Mr Zavattiero said the practice led to students hyperventilating and passing out.
The Sunbury Leader has deliberately chosen not to publish details on how the “game” is played. Mr Zavattiero said up to 10 young Salesian students had been taking part in the practice but had since stopped.
He said the school became aware of the practice after noticing a young student behaving oddly.
“Obviously there are enormous risks associated with playing this ‘game’ and I understand that some students can experience seizures and severe headaches as a result of the lack of oxygen reaching their brain,” he said.
He said college teachers were briefed and asked to tell students of the dangers associated with the practice. A notice in the student bulletin also discouraged them from the dangerous game.
“It was good to have the support of many senior students who actively discouraged junior students from participating and voiced their concern and disapproval of the passing out game,” said Mr Zavattiero, adding that no students were disciplined for playing the “game”.
Royal Australian College of Physicians spokeswoman and pediatrician Prof Susan Sawyer said intentional hyperventilation had major medical risks.
“There is no trigger to breathe, which is dangerous to the brain,” she said.
“If kids are repeatedly and constantly involved, there are also broader concerns of acute injury, like hitting their head as they fall.”
Prof Sawyer, director of adolescent health at the Royal Children’s Hospital, said teenagers often experimented with new experiences.
“It is extreme behaviour, and pretty distressing that young people would engage in these activities, but there is nothing new about this,” she said.
“We understand that young people want to test their bodies. The challenge is for them to appreciate that there is a health and social downside.”
Sunbury Leader
