Another ugly side of social media has come to the fore. A young boy has suffered a deadly cardiac arrest after inhaling from a deodorant can.
12 year old Cesar Watson-King, from Doncaster has allegedly inhaled a can of anti-perspirant last month after being shown the craze, 'chroming', by an older boy, The Daily Mail reported.
Chroming, popularized by social media users, is a trend where individuals inhale the toxic fumes from deodorant cans or hairspray and nail polish remover in order to get high. Chroming, an internet slang that is said to have originated from Australia encourages youngsters to embark on a mission that can have a life threatening consequence.
Shortly after Cesar inhaled the substance, his mother, found him on the kitchen floor having a seizure. She immediately began CPR to help him breathe while his brother called for an ambulance. Cesar was quickly taken to the hospital, where he experienced additional seizures and a cardiac arrest, leading to him being placed in a medically induced coma.
Inhalation of toxic fumes can have severe and immediate effects on the body, particularly on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. When toxic substances, such as chemicals or gases, are inhaled, they can irritate or damage the airways and lungs. This irritation may lead to acute respiratory distress, causing symptoms like coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing.
The impact on the cardiovascular system can be equally alarming. Toxic fumes may contain substances that interfere with the blood's ability to carry oxygen or affect the heart's ability to function properly. For instance, carbon monoxide, a common component of toxic fumes, binds to hemoglobin in the blood more effectively than oxygen, reducing the amount of oxygen available to the body's tissues. This can lead to hypoxia, where organs and tissues are deprived of adequate oxygen. In extreme cases, this lack of oxygen can lead to a cardiac arrest, where the heart suddenly stops beating. Symptoms can include chest pain, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and loss of consciousness. Prompt actions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and advanced medical treatments are crucial for increasing the chances of survival and recovery.
'I'd say to the kids, it's not worth it. It might feel good but it definitely doesn't when you're in the hospital trying to breathe for yourself and the pain you cause to your parents,' the mother of the 12 year old told the media.
