Choking game kills, warns Calgary family after losing son

A Calgary family grieving the loss of their 11-year-old son is speaking out about the controversial game that took his life.

It's known as the choking game and involves youthasphyxiatingeach other for a temporary drug-free high.

• 'Choking game' being learned online, says expert

There are concerns thatit's still being played in local schoolsand that neither the students nor their parents are being educated about the dangers.

Kerri Workman understands the perils all too well. Shefound herson Brycedead last October.

"I didn't think he was dead.... I didn't know what happened," she said.

Workman, along with her husbandMalcolm Eyjolfson,didn't even know what the choking gamewas. They found out later thatBrycehad seen the game in aYouTube video.

It's certainly not a new phenomenon, butthere has been a resurgence among younger groups withthousands of the videos posted online.It's even become a challenge forwho can stay conscious the longest.

Dr. Andrew MacNab, a pediatrician in Vancouver, has done studies on the choking game and says it's far more widespread than many parents, teachers, and health-care providers realize.

"The problem now is that the activities have become more extreme and worst of all they have become competitive in nature,and children now practice them as a solitary activity,which is when most fatalities occur," he said.

MacNab says many children don't understand the dangersandthere needs to be more awareness.

Workman hopes that sharing their son's story will help

"It's the hardest journey you can ever imagine," said Workman. "It's the hardest thing that we're going to have to go through."