What is the Chroming Challenge? 12-year-old goes into cardiac arrest after trying out dangerous TikTok trend

While a majority of TikTok challenges are supposed to be fun, the latest Chroming challenge has garnered negative attention. The instance of a 12-year-old boy named Cesar going into cardiac arrest after attempting the TikTok challenge has led to his mother Nichola King informing people about the same to raise awareness.

The Chroming challenge is a practice that involves inhaling toxic fumes from substances like hairspray, aerosol, nail polish remover, paint thinners, deodorant, permanent markers, and the like. Youngsters on TikTok have been posting videos of the challenge on the platform, making it popular among children as well.

According to reports by NDTV, inhaling toxic fumes from hazardous substances results in the absorption of these chemicals into the bloodstream via the lungs, affecting other organs. Moreover, it causes cognitive abnormalities, varying from mild impairment to severe dementia.

---

"I was in complete shock"— 12-year-old's mother explains effect of Chroming Challenge on son

As per the statement of 12-year-old Cesar's mother Nichola King, issued to Dexterto on September 2, 2024, she recalled that she heard a moaning sound from downstairs and assumed her son had broken a bone. As she went downstairs, she saw Cesar lying on the floor with his eyes rolling back into his head.

Nichola said that she was unaware of TikTok's Chroming challenge but it was introduced to her son by his older friend, and that she shared Cesar's story to prevent others from falling prey to the dangerous trend.

Moreover, the 12-year-old's mother mentioned that she performed CPR on her son, while another family member called an ambulance, post which Cesar was admitted to the hospital. The 12-year-old went into cardiac arrest and had to be placed in a medically-induced coma for 48 hours. Nichola stated that she had no idea what happened and that she thought Cesar had fallen over and hit his head.

Describing the same in detail, Nichola said:

"He went blue and stopped breathing. I thought he’d died. I was in complete shock. I’d watched my son die and watched the light go out of his eyes.”

While Cesar was discharged from the hospital after eight days of hospitalization and was able to walk and talk by himself, Nichola fears what the long-term effects of the Chroming challenge might be and how it would affect her son. Cesar's short-term memory is "very bad," as he was unable to remember what happened.

Addressing children of Cesar's age and youngsters who might attempt the challenge, Nichola said that the challenge is not worth it. She said that it might feel good when attempted but it comes with the repercussion of being in the hospital, causing pain to the parents.

In her statement, the 12-year-old's mom also emphasized the importance of parents being trained in first aid to take prompt action in situations like these.

---

Cesar is one of the various people who have fallen prey to the side effects of the Chroming Challenge. In another instance reported by NDTV in March 2024, 11-year-old Tommie-Lee Gracie Billington from the UK died attempting the Chroming Challenge.

Tommie's grandmother stated that her grandson "died instantly" after attempting the Chroming challenge at a friend's place, owing to immediate cardiac arrest which led to his death on the spot.