Recently, the death of two children related to online challenges caught the attention of parents and medical society. Last Sunday (13), 8 -year -old Sarah Raíssa Pereira died in the Federal District after inhaling the aerosol of a deodorant. In 2022, a 10 -year -old boy died in Belo Horizonte also due to “Deodorant Challenge “.
Given the cases, the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (SBP) issued a warning about the risks to the physical and emotional integrity of children and adolescents behind the challenges disseminated on social networks.
According to data from the Dimicuida Institute, at least 56 children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 died or had serious injuries between 2014 and 2025 by participating in online games or challenges. Among the most common risk behaviors are suffocating, asphyxiation, apnea and self -affection practices.
How can parents and society protect children?
The SBP Digital Health Working Group recommends that the theme will be addressed by doctors, especially pediatricians, during consultations, on the alert of risks related to online challenges.
In the document “#Menos Dangerous Games #More Health“Society guides parents and caregivers should be present in their children’s routine, supervising online activities, establishing rules on safety, privacy and blockage of inappropriate, violent or discriminatory messages that can cause physical or mental damage.
The recommendations also call for attention and awareness on the subject of school educators, psychologists and mental health professionals who work with children and adolescents in different communities and circumstances. The goal is that the whole society is aware not only of risks, but also prepares so that it can act preventively.
Experts also advise children and adolescents to learn about safety rules and how to maintain respect for colleagues in schools and the digital environment. In addition, they recommend training in emotional and social communication skills for understanding and preventing behavioral risks on the internet.
Another prominent point is the importance of denouncing inappropriate content and challenges that can lead to physical and mental risks so that they can be blocked and excluded from the internet as soon as they are posted.
According to GT Health Coordinator in the Digital Age of SBP, Evelyn Eisenstein, challenges can endanger life or physical or psychological integrity, as well as causing irreversible damage.
“The dangerous challenges on the Internet correspond to the instigation and practice of behaviors, which are considered as self -damage and often covered by a false impression of ‘harmless’ or ‘jokes’ and which are quickly spread and expanded on images and videos, also as online games, on different platforms,” he says.
This content was originally published in online challenges: Doctors warn parents about risks and main care on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
I am an experienced journalist and writer with a career in the news industry. My focus is on covering Top News stories for World Stock Market, where I provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on markets around the world. I have expertise in writing both long-form articles and shorter pieces that deliver timely, relevant updates to readers.
