The staff members of Windsor Locks Public Schools have recently become aware of an alarming new trend of potentially dangerous behavior among our youth. We are reaching out to parents in the hopes that we can come together as a community to address this situation before any of our children are seriously or permanently injured.
Three specific new trends (promoted on the internet through popular web sites) have created alarm and concern among our staff. The first is the “cinnamon challenge” in which people try to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon without drinking water. The results are both predictable and dangerous. The cinnamon becomes stuck in the throat triggering the gag reflex and causing most people to gasp and inhale cinnamon directly into their lungs. Though no deaths have been reported to date as a result of the cinnamon challenge, the health risks are significant and real. According to the Vice Chairman of Pediatrics at Winthrop University Hospital (Long Island, New York), the effects of inhaling cinnamon include dangerous spikes in blood sugar levels, burns to the throat and lung tissue, and long-term lung damage including scarring. For children with asthma the effects are more dangerous because they have the potential to trigger an asthma attack or pneumonia.
The second dangerous trend is called “The Salt and Ice Challenge”. Students put salt on their skin then press ice into it until it melts or becomes too painful to stand. According to national news sources, the challenge can result in first degree burns, second degree burns, and even severe frost bite depending on how long the student plays the game.
The third is synthetic marijuana, better known as K-2 or Spice. Experts agree that use of this substance (banned in many states already) poses serious health risks.
Comment...As I have said all along, this trend of instant gratification and the willingness to do anything here in the United States has now hit my home town of Windsor Locks Connecticut. How many kids will hurt themselves or become a victim of what I call the U tube generation? The suicide rate among teenagers increases every day. Now in this country its OK to disrespect parents and teachers. I have no solutions and I won't blame anyone. I won't say it was better in my day. However, I do know that kids learn by example. They will do what their parents do. They learn by what they see on TV and in the movies. The news is another big influence on a young mind. The cell phone or as I call it, the hand held computer is a huge problem. There is simply too much information. Now, the warning signs are all over the place. Point the kids in the right direction and teach them them the do's and don'ts. Don't be afraid to set limits its really dangerous out there..
No comments:
Post a Comment