Explaining the dangerous online ‘chroming’ trend that has put a 12 year old boy in the hospital

An online ‘challenge’ trend known as chroming has hit headlines this week after a 12 year old boy has been hospitalised after partaking in it – but most people online have no clue what it actually is. Whilst the trend has taken over certain corners of the internet, it’s a vast place and the bizarre and dangerous chroming may not have hit your feeds yet. But what actually is chroming  and why is it so dangerous?

Do NOT do this

The chroming trend online challenge is incredibly dangerous, with most social platforms saying any content using it will be taken down. The word comes from informal Australian slang, and refers to purposelt ingesting toxic fumes such as aerosol cans, spray deodorant or a pot of paint.

Chroming came from smelling chrome based paint to get high, but according the National Retail Association in Australia it can include aerosol cans, paint, solvent, permanent markers, nail polish remover, hairspray, deodorants, lighter fluid, glue, cleaning supplies, nitrous oxide, and gasoline.

It can create a temporary high, but has side effects that include heart attack, seizures, suffocation, coma, choking, or fatal injury, and can cause permanent organ damage. It can also cause serious cognitive issues.

What’s happening to people taking part?

Chroming is having serious effects on the young people taking part in the online trend. There have been reports of deaths of children who have done it in Australia, Ireland and the UK – and yesterday a mum shared how her 12 year old son has gone into cardiac arrest and been hospitalised after chroming.

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“I heard like a moaning sound from downstairs and thought Cesar had broken a bone or something,” Nichola recalled. “I started going downstairs and saw Cesar lying on the floor and his eyes were rolling back into his head.

“I thought he’d fallen over and hit his head. I had no idea what had happened. He went blue and stopped breathing. I thought he’d died,” Nichola said. “I was in complete shock. I’d watched my son die and watched the light go out of his eyes.” Cesar is now out of the hospital and is walking and talking, but Nichola is fearful of long term effects on Cesar. “We don’t know about long-term damage, but his short-term memory is very bad. He couldn’t remember what had happened.”

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