Teens taking the cinnamon challenge can have deadly results

Deerfield, IL -- (SBWire) -- 06/05/2013 --Cinnamon is a popular addition to French toast and cereal, but health experts are concerned about the number of teens and children ingesting cinnamon as part of the Cinnamon Challenge. This online peer pressure dare has teens swallowing a tablespoon of pure cinnamon with no liquid, often with disastrous results, as reported on RadioMD.com’s talk program, “Healthy Children.”

“We are increasingly seeing teens and children in the ER after choking and coughing on cinnamon, often unable to catch their breath. For teens with asthma or allergies, swallowing cinnamon can lead to long-lasting effects including pain, swollen or collapsed lungs, and inflamed air passages.,” according to Steven E. Lipshultz, M.D., a professor of Pediatrics, Medicine (Oncology), and Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami Florida.

Dr. Lipshultz is concerned that the Cinnamon Challenge has received extensive attention on the Internet on social media sites such as YouTube, which had more than 50,000 YouTube videos depicting youth attempting this activity as of August 2012.

“Young people often challenge each other to try various stunts that may not be safe, and this peer pressure is driving up teens in distress,” added Dr. Lipshutltz.

“Peers teaching peers about dangerous behaviour is always a bad idea. It may look funny but it can be deadly,” said “Healthy Children” host Melanie Cole, MS, a mother of two who holds a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology. Her program is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The complete show can be heard by downloading: http://radiomd.com/show/healthy-children/item/11317-the-cinnamon-challenge-a-popular-dare-that-just-isnt-worth-taking

About RadioMD.com
Chicago based RadioMD, an Internet all health talk portal, is a news product for terrestrial radio: RadioMD News “healthcasts,” composed of three to four daily breaking health and medical news stories produced by RadioMD’s experienced producers. The Monday through Friday audio healthcasts are delivered via XDS satellite each weekday morning at 9am EST and available on an ftp site for download. For more information, contact Tim Disa at: Tim@RadioMD.com or visit www.RadioMD.com.