Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Cinnamon challenge: a game or a risk?

A recent trend, which may at first appear harmless, has recently spread across the country.  It's called the "Cinnamon Challenge".  The idea of the challenge is for someone to attempt to eat an entire spoonful of cinnamon without water, in 60 seconds.  Yes, cinnamon is edible and it is a natural spice, but unfortunately, this is a very risky game.

When cinnamon is inhaled without water, it can cause dangerous side effects like scarring or inflammation of the lungs.  Several cases of hospitalization and other forms of treatment have been reported across the country.  Particularly, a high school freshman in Michigan who spent four days in the hospital with a collapsed right lung and an infection.  (source: ABC news report)

We want to encourage you, as parents, to stay involved in your kids' lives.  Keep conversations going and know what's going on with your children in the big issues and the ones that may seem small. You just never know how keeping those lines of communication open could save their lives and keep them from making harmful choices.

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