BURNS FEAR OVER ONLINE STUNTS
MORE and more Welsh teenagers are ending up in hospital after taking part in online challenges that encourage them to set themselves on fire.
While difficult to believe for many, a craze is sweeping the internet which sees young people filming themselves committing outrageous stunts in a bid to get more likes and become ‘social media stars.’
Specialist staff at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital have confirmed that they have seen a recent rise in the number of teenagers who are being admitted to hospital with serious burns. While the hospital did not wish to provide details of the different challenges, a quick search online reveals the scale of the problem.
One challenge, known online as the Fire Challenge, is literally as crazy as it sounds. Youngsters are challenged to pour liquid on themselves and set themselves on fire.
This has resulted in people requiring surgery and life-support treatment.
Last year parents were warned of children harming themselves with a rubber craze online:
Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board is now issuing a warning and some advice to anyone who has taken part in any of these challenges online.
“I can understand there is pressure on young people to gain acceptance or boost their online profiles by doing such risky things as these challenges,” said Jeremy Yarrow, a plastic surgeon at Morriston Hospital.
“But from the patients I see, the results can be very different, with some requiring life support treatment and many left with lifelong scars.”
Mr Yarrow added that, while most teenagers presenting with burns are treated as outpatients, some are hospitalised for a considerable length of time.
“In some severe and sometimes life-threatening cases, they are admitted to hospital for long periods of time for complex surgery resulting in long term mental and physical issues,” he said.
While the health board would not release specific details of the challenges doing the rounds online, they did confirm that there are “various” ones being attempted by teenagers.
Ana Biney, a staff nurse at Morriston Hospital’s Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, said: “They copy them from social media and Youtube and call them Youtube challenges.
“They film each other doing the challenges and then upload them in the hope they will become social media stars.
“We have definitely seen an increase in the number of teenagers who have suffered quite serious burns because of this.”
Staff at the Burns Centre have offered the following advice for anyone affected with burns: ■ put the affected area under cool water for 20 minutes, as this takes the heat out of the injury ■ if clothing is on fire, the affected person should immediately drop to the floor and roll to put out the flames – don’t pat them out as this causes burns to the hands ■ cover the burn with cling film – never cotton wool – which protects the burn but allows doctors or paramedics to look at it. ■ call for help, which could be 999 or 111 or your GP.
Ms Biney added: “Good first aid is essential. If you do it right, it can have a massive effect on the burn.
“But of course the best thing to do is not to take part in these stunts in the first place. They may look exciting and spectacular on social media but the reality is very different.
“They could be killed or scarred for life.”