Social media challenges can be intriguing to teens, who can be both impulsive and drawn to behaviour that gets attention.
Some social media challenges, like the ALS ice bucket challenge, can be fun and positive activities.
But other viral challenges that pop up on the Internet are dangerous and can lead to lasting harm.
Examples of risky trends the American Academy of Pediatrics has been tracking include misusing medicines or household products, such as the Benadryl challenge, cooking NyQuil chicken, huffing or “chroming” aerosol sprays, and eating laundry pods.
Others involve restricted breathing, such as the choking game or “blackout” challenge, or dangerous skin-related trends like sunburn “tattoos” and tanmaxxing.
More recently, viral videos encourage microwaving gel-filled squishy toys, which can explode and cause severe burns.
These trendy social media challenges can cause serious injuries, poisonings, and even fatalities.
Being aware of these challenges and understanding why they lure teen participation is important for all parents.
Naturally curious
So why are teens drawn in by social media challenges?
Teens are naturally curious and often enjoy trying new things, especially when friends are involved.
They are starting to assert their independence and are more likely to take risks because their brains are still developing.
The part of the brain that handles rational thought – the prefrontal cortex – is not fully developed until the mid-20s.
This means that teens are naturally more impulsive and likely to act before thinking through all of the consequences.
At the same time, adolescents tend to be highly motivated by social connections and peer approval.
A challenge that earns attention, and resultant likes and laughs, can seem far more rewarding than it appears to adults.
Social media rewards outrageous behaviour, and the more outrageous it is, the more attention it receives.
It’s a fast-moving, impulsive environment and the fear of missing out (FOMO) is real for many teens.
That environment plays into a teen’s underdeveloped ability to think through their actions and possible consequences.
Not thinking about consequences
Kids may not stop to consider that laundry detergent is a poison that can burn their throats and damage their airways.
Or that misusing medications like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and similar medicines can cause serious heart problems, seizures and coma.
What they will focus on is that a popular kid in class or a social media influencer did this, and received hundreds of likes, comments and views.
As a parent, you can help your teen build critical thinking skills so that they can recognise the difference between a harmless trending challenge and a potentially dangerous one.
To start the conversation, ask your kids about the biggest challenges they’ve heard about among their friends or online.
Encourage them to see if they can surprise you.
Ask them, calmly and without judgment, what they think about the challenge.
This helps build the skill of judging risk by talking about what could happen to someone who takes the challenge.
You can still exercise your parental options such as limiting opportunities for contact with certain kids or making specific activities off-limits.
If your child seems interested in participating in a challenge, use open-ended questions to encourage them to think through each step.
Ask them to consider the worst outcome, why they would engage in the challenge, and whether it’s worth it.
Are likes and comments worth hours in the emergency department?
A good digital role model
Staying connected to your child’s digital life is another factor to consider.
Depending on your child’s age and preferences, this may include following or connecting with them on social media, talking regularly about the platforms they use, and discussing what they’re seeing online.
Watching their posts and stories can provide clues about what’s happening at school and with friends.
It’s also a good idea to create a Family Media Plan.
Sometimes, kids are more willing to talk about their peers than themselves.
Asking questions about school trends, friends and fads may yield more answers than direct questions about their own activities.
No matter what, it is important to keep the lines of communication open and avoid passing judgment.
Instead, calmly discuss the dangers in those choices.
As a parent, another way you can help your child recognise risky social media challenges is to be a positive digital role model.
Avoid social media trends that involve “pranking” kids and posting their reaction online, like the egg crack challenge that was trending a few years ago.
While cracking an egg on an unsuspecting child’s head while pretending to bake with them may not cause a significant physical injury, it can hurt them both physically and emotionally.
Hurting a child for laughs can erode the sense of safety and trust they have with you.
Using a platform that can be viewed worldwide for years to come can further damage trust and compound a sense of humiliation.
While children and teens continue to grow, remember that their brains are still rapidly growing too.
As a parent, you can nurture that growth and help your teens develop thoughtful, rational thinking skills that will continue to be important for years to come.
Those skills will help your child navigate social media challenges – and many other real-life challenges – for years to come. – By Dr Christina Johns/American Academy of Pediatrics/Tribune News Service
Dr Christina Johns is a paediatrician and paediatric emergency medicine physician, and IKS Care Transformation senior vice president in the United States.
