With every generation, there is always a new way or some new form of living life on the edge that ends up making front-page news. Years ago, sniffing glue or holding your breath until you nearly passed out were crazy teen fads that injured or even killed many kids. Today, the cinnamon challenge has taken its place.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, around 30 teens in the United States alone have required immediate medical attention due to partaking in what is called the cinnamon challenge. The dangers of this challenge are often overlooked by youngsters (and adults) because most don’t see cinnamon as something harmful like drugs or alcohol. However, pediatricians disagree.
Cinnamon is a caustic substance, which means it can burn or corrode organic tissue due to a chemical reaction. Since the cinnamon challenge involves teens swallowing a spoonful of cinnamon without drinking anything, it can lead to immediate and potentially deadly breathing problems. The challenge, which has gained popularity through online platforms like Facebook and YouTube, is often performed as a prank or joke on an unsuspecting person swallowing the cinnamon. But while the others watching sit back and laugh, the cinnamon is rapidly corroding and irritating the sensitive tissues of the throat, lungs, diaphragm, and stomach.
The Serious Consequences
For kids who have allergies, asthma, or any other health issues, the cinnamon challenge can lead to severe complications, including lung collapse. Poison control centers across the United States are reporting a significant and steady increase in calls from people dealing with the aftermath of youth participating in the cinnamon challenge. Statistics also show that the vast majority of teens involved in the cinnamon challenge don’t seek immediate medical assistance because they fear getting into trouble with their parents or authorities. This leads many experts to believe that the cinnamon challenge is likely much more widespread than mainstream media suggests.
Long-term, the cinnamon challenge can cause lasting damage to the lungs. Since cinnamon is a cellulose fiber, it does not break down easily in the body and can lead to scarring in the lungs, causing problems for years to come. What teens often find comical about the challenge is that the participant will typically gag and spit out a cloud of red breath, causing others to laugh. Sadly, this gagging – or joke, or test of endurance and manhood – is no laughing matter.
Furthermore, there have been reports of otherwise healthy teens taking part in the cinnamon challenge at parties, only to require ongoing treatment for asthma-like symptoms and to use inhalers regularly to maintain lung function.
Things like this have been around for decades. Teens, young adults, and even children have always been known for playing pranks on their classmates. Some do it to be facetious or mean, while others do it without any ill intent. Unfortunately, their lack of judgment and understanding of how such actions can be harmful – even fatal – can leave lasting scars on their hearts for the rest of their lives. In a survey conducted by Dr. Oz, only about 25% of parents polled had even heard of the cinnamon challenge. Experts urge parents to remain vigilant, stay open with their kids, and discuss issues like bullying and peer pressure, encouraging their children to just say no. Most teens participate because they fear being laughed at or called ‘a sissy’ by their classmates and have no true understanding of the danger. Since cinnamon is neither an illegal substance nor one with a reputation for altering one’s reality, parents and children alike are often unaware of the potential harm.
This is where parents come in! There is no foolproof way to completely safeguard our children from participating in risky endeavors. Kids will be kids. Teens will be teens. At some point, every child will find themselves in an unsupervised situation that could lead to something like the cinnamon challenge. Parents need to remind their kids that it is important to trust their intuition and listen to their gut when they want to say NO to something. Additionally, parents should pay attention to what their kids are talking about, texting, or even posting online regarding trends or fads like the cinnamon challenge. If you hear of your child being involved, it might be a good idea to talk to a school counselor or other parents to ensure the kids are informed about how dangerous this ‘hazing-like fad’ can be.
