Self strangulation by hanging from cloth towel dispensers in Canadian schools.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a local "epidemic" of incidents of strangulation by hanging from continuous cloth towels in dispensers.

METHOD: The coroner's office in all provinces and territories were contacted. Five cases of hanging from continuous cloth towels in Canadian schools were identified and reviewed.

RESULTS: There were four deaths, and one near-death, all males age 7 to 12. Two cases were attributed to a "choking game" that provides a sensation (impending loss of consciousness) described as "cool". In three cases, the child was alone at the time. All deaths were due to strangulation from hanging and all occurred in school washrooms. One child (playing with two friends) recovered after admission to an intensive care unit. Towel dispensers were removed from the two index schools. In one province the Ministry of Education encouraged removal of towel dispensers from all schools and education of students of the dangers of "choking games".

CONCLUSIONS: Thrill seeking from partial asphyxiation appears to underlie these incidents. Awareness of such cases should prompt appropriate education strategies to highlight the serious consequences of this form of risk taking behavior in young males. In Canada, these incidents have resulted in changes in the design of, and legislation regarding, cloth towel dispensers.