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A man known to ride through Madison on a scooter -- dressed in thong underwear and a cape -- may be disturbing to schoolchildren.More >> A man known to ride through Madison on a scooter -- dressed in thong underwear and a cape -- may be disturbing to schoolchildren.More >> Two 18-year-olds have been arrested for tossing water balloons from a car, causing damage to at least three other vehicles.More >> Two 18-year-olds have been arrested for tossing water balloons from a car, causing damage to at least three other vehicles.More >> Some call it wishful thinking, but President Barack Obama has all but declared an end to the global war on terror.More >> Some call it wishful thinking, but President Barack Obama has all but declared an end to the global war on terror.More >> Prom was in the air at Mount View Care Center in Wausau Friday.More >> Prom was in the air at Mount View Care Center in Wausau Friday.More >> Charges have been filed in a cold case murder in Wisconsin Rapids.More >> Charges have been filed in a cold case murder in Wisconsin Rapids.More >> Police have released the name of a man shot dead while sitting in his vehicle outside a manufacturing company in Superior, Wis.More >> Police have released the name of a man shot dead while sitting in his vehicle outside a manufacturing company in Superior, Wis.More >> Radar Alert
Turning fairly nice later this week.More >> Sun returns Thursday and Friday but it will be cooler than normal. Frost expected Thursday night. Fairly quiet weekend with more cloud cover.More >> STRATFORD (WAOW) - The Marathon County Sheriff's Department says a near head-on crash involving a semi-truck and a pickup truck seriously injured the driver of the pickup on Friday.More >> STRATFORD (WAOW) - The Marathon County Sheriff's Department says a near head-on crash involving a semi-truck and a pickup truck seriously injured the driver of the pickup on Friday.More >> Authorities say there were no fatalities when an Interstate 5 bridge over a river north of Seattle collapsed. The Thursday evening bridge failure dumped vehicles and people into the water.More >> Authorities say there were no fatalities when an Interstate 5 bridge over a river north of Seattle collapsed. The Thursday evening bridge failure dumped vehicles and people into the water.More >> Gov. Scott Walker says he wasn't aware of his former campaign spokeswoman's drunken driving citations.More >> Gov. Scott Walker says he wasn't aware of his former campaign spokeswoman's drunken driving citations.More >>
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Prom was in the air at Mount View Care Center in Wausau Friday.More >> One person was seriously hurt after a crash in Marathon County Friday morning.More >> The UW-Stevens Point baseball team won its first game of the Division 3 College World Series.More >> Highlights and reaction from the Pointers first round win over Manchester in the DIII College World Series.More >> One person died in a crash Thursday night in Clark County.More >> Joseph Reinwand, 53, faces a charge of first degree intentional homicide.More >> Travis Krueger says he loves his job because it offers something different every day, and he's able to help people in the community.More >> An eight-year-old Wisconsin Rapids girl is on a mission to help, and it's all for a little boy she's never met.More >> A teacher's return to the classroom inspired students to do something for the survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing.More >>
MILWAUKEE - WISN's Christina Palladino sat down with five families with one emotional bond; they all lost children to a very preventable danger.
The families spoke to WISN about their sons who died because of a trend known as "the choking game."
The game involves cutting off oxygen and blood flow to the brain with a towel, belt or rope. The person hyperventilates until they pass out. When blood and oxygen rush back to the brain, it can create a euphoric high.
The practice can lead to brain damage, seizures, head trauma and in the case of the five families Palladino spoke with, premature death.
Researchers in Oregon found that 6.1% of eighth graders had played the game at least once in their lives. Among those who had played, 64% had done it more than once.
Some children who engage in the behavior might be overlooked because of myths surrounding it, said researcher Robert Nystrom. His 2009 Oregon study, published online in the journal Pediatrics, found that boys and girls almost equally participated in the game.
In 2008, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 82 deaths due to the choking game from 1995 to 2007 but WISN learned that numbers may be misleading as deaths from the choking game could be classified as suicide instead of accidental.
A 2010 article published in Pediatrics said of 865 pediatricians and family practitioners surveyed, 1/3 were unaware of the choking game.
Read WISN's full report here: On Assignment: Parents warn of dangerous, fatal game
