Doctors are warning of the rise of a dangerous trend among children that sees them inhale toxic fumes from nail polish and markers to get “high”.
Videos showing people ‘chromating’ or ‘snorting’ have racked up tens of millions of views on TikTok, with many users talking about being ‘addicted’.
In a clip posted on social media, a girl can be seen smelling the fumes of a roll-on deodorant as she walks around her house.
Doctors reported the worrying trend among teens at the American Academy of Pediatrics’ annual conference in Orlando, Florida.
They urge other doctors and parents to make sure they are aware of the trend to better protect children.
The image above shows a girl smelling a roll-on deodorant. She seems to be trying to chrome.
Esra Haynes, pictured, suffered cardiac arrest after inhaling the fumes of an aerosol deodorant – called chroming – and died days later from irreparable brain damage.
In rare cases, the habit could also be fatal: a 13-year-old girl in Australia died last year after inhaling chemicals from a can of deodorant.
In March this year, an 11-year-old boy in the United Kingdom went into cardiac arrest and died after trying to chrome while at a sleepover at a friend’s house.
Dr Keerthi Krishna, a pediatric researcher at Cohen Children’s Medical Center who led the research, said: “What’s particularly concerning about chrome plating is that it uses everyday household items that are easily accessible to teenagers.
“The covert nature of these items means that parents and teachers are less likely to detect the behavior, significantly increasing the risk of repeated use and addiction among adolescents.”
In their research, which will be presented at the conference, the team analyzed 109 social media chroming videos that had 25 million views.
They found that permanent markers were the most common chrome element, appearing in 31 percent of the videos.
Air dusters were the second most common, at 17 percent of the videos, followed by nail polish, 12 percent, paint thinner, gasoline, and aerosol deodorant, 11 percent for each. one.
About six percent of the videos analyzed also showed users smelling hairspray.
More than half of the videos referred to repeated use or addiction.
Permanent markers contain chemicals that evaporate quickly once the pens are used to help the ink dry quickly.
However, if someone inhales tracer fumes, these chemicals can enter the bloodstream and then the brain, causing feelings of dizziness and euphoria.
Scientists have suggested that this happens because the chemicals “slow down” the nervous system and cause a “high.”
Tommie-lee Gracie Billington, 11 (pictured) died in an incident at a house in Greenset Close, Lancaster, UK, after attempting to chrome while at a sleepover.
They warn that users may also experience slurred speech, hallucinations, nausea and vomiting as a result of inhalation.
In some cases, it could also cause a heart attack or permanent damage to organs such as the brain if someone has trouble breathing.
The National Survey on Drug Abuse and Health suggests that half a million children ages 12 to 18 in the United States have used an inhalant.
The National Institutes of Health says online that chromium plating is “the deliberate inhalation of volatile substances and can cause serious damage to the integrity of the central nervous system and disrupt normal trajectories of psychological, emotional, and neurobiological development.”
In their presentation, the authors will conclude that parents and pediatricians should be aware of this trend and its dangers and say that social media companies should do more to prevent the spread of such harmful content.
They will present their findings Saturday at the Orange County Convention Center during the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2024 National Conference and Exposition.
