'Fainting Game' Dangerous, CR Superintendent Warns

Council Rock School District officials are warning parents of a dangerous game some middle and upper elementary school students are reportedly playing. 

In an email to parents Friday, Council Rock School District Superintendent Mark Klein said there have been reports of students playing the “fainting game,” which involves various actions to cause hyperventilation and fainting.

Students who play the fainting game, also called the black out game, hyperventilate and then hold their breath to cause fainting, Klein explained.

Klein said there have been “isolated” instances of Richboro Elementary and Richboro Middle School students playing the game, however, he warned all parents should be aware of the danger.

The school district physician confirmed to Klein that the fainting game is “dangerous in many ways” – including the potential of falling after fainting and the risk of depriving the brain of oxygen. 

On Friday, school counselors met with students at Richboro elementary and middle schools. “We emphasized with our students the danger of this behavior and the need for them to report this if it is happening among their friends.  We want to educate students to these dangers and involve parents, when we know their child may be involved, to allow them to intervene at home,” the email from Klein said.

“We are aware that this behavior has been discussed by CR students on both Twitter feeds and Facebook,” Klein noted.