Nearly every child in the U.S. has some form of electronic device that connects them with popular sites like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.
While there's good that can come out of staying connected with friends and family, there are a lot of bad things associated with these popular sites.
Take for example the "Tide Pod Challenge" that led teenagers to bite down on the seals of extremely toxic laundry detergent.
Dozens of adolescents posted videos of them gagging the hazardous liquid to get that 15 seconds of fame.
Now another trend is spreading, but this time in elementary schools, encouraging children to pass out to achieve a temporary feeling of being high.
The "Choking Game" or "Pass Out Challenge" gained popularity a couple decades ago, and now it's back, thanks to dozens of online videos teaching children how to do the challenge "safely."
The way it works is children use a rope, belt, or shoelace to cut off their oxygen supply, but release the grip before it's too late.
The problem is that many children have gotten hurt or died from this dangerous challenge.
According to Time, the viral trend has led to more than 80 deaths across the U.S between 1995-2007.
On October 12, one mother from Colorado was devastated after learning that her 11-year-old boy choked himself to death while participating in the "choking game."
Tia Bodkins and her family were packing for a trip when they found their son Carson unresponsive in his room.
They rushed him to the hospital, but not much could be done, since his brain had been without oxygen for too long.
"We're living minute by minute right now, we're all very sad," Bodkins told Fox 31.
Now Carson's parents are urging others to keep a close eye on their children's internet habits.
"We have internet blocks, internet protections for all of the boys. But I had let him look at YouTube so he could learn skateboarding tricks, I assumed that's what he was looking at," Bodkins said.
"As parents, the responsibility lies on us to go in and make sure [kids] are protected, and sometimes that might be an invasion of their privacy," Carson's stepfather, Jason Davis, added.
Carson's school and family are working to raise awareness about the importance of online safety.
Bodkins has also opened a memorial fund in her son's name to raise money for a skatepark or playground in her community.
The GoFundMe page has currently exceeded its $5,000 goal.
If your child complains of frequent headaches and has bloodshot eyes, this may be a sign that they've participated in the choking game.
Other viral challenges that parents should look out for are the "Hot Water Challenge' and the "Fire Challenge," both of which have landed children in the hospital with life-altering wounds.
[H/T: Fox News]
