Did they think that breathing MORE helium would make their voices go even higher, or that helium from a big balloon would be better?
I just think this is so sad. This may sound terrible, but I wish "kids these days" would just stick to inhaling marijuana if they want to get high, and leave the other stuff alone.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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quote:Inhaling helium can quickly lead to brain damage and death from lack of oxygen, according to the Compressed Gas Association, which develops safety standards in the gas industry.
I've done that - on small balloons - and even let my kids do it. I never equated it with huffing, which of course I would never let my kids do.
I'm so paranoid I won't let my kids lick batter out of the cake bowl, for fear of them getting salmonella poisoning from the raw eggs. I guess my priorities will be a little different now.
Posts: 2034 | Registered: Apr 2004
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It's entirely possible that they got inside before they really knew what they were doing, and before they could get out, their brains were already oxygen deprived and it was too late.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:I think this qualifies for the Darwin Awards.
That's what I said when I read an article about it.
How many times have we been told not to let children play with plastic bags, because they can't get air if they put them over their heads? And how many times have our mothers told us that sucking helium kills brain cells?
Now, how many of us would think it's fun to get inside a giant bag filled with something that's not air that kills brain cells?
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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I gave my students a lecture on not sucking helium out of balloons recently when they were decorating for a dance. They obeyed me only because I threatened them, not because they took me seriously. Kids have no idea how dangerous this is! It drives me NUTS!
Posts: 1319 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Lyrhawn, I have been going over and over your comment, but I can in no way figure out how it would make this any better to think that two college students would get themselves inside a helium balloon, which they had to take down from a high place, and then wonder what they were doing.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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You know, Myr, I am going to have to watch you more closely when we go to a music festival. There are balloons everywhere.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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quote: I just think this is so sad. This may sound terrible, but I wish "kids these days" would just stick to inhaling marijuana if they want to get high, and leave the other stuff alone.
I would rather my kids suck a little helium than smoke pot. My fiance used to smoke it, and she, like me, is not a hypocrite. She's said that she can't tell the kids (when we have em) not to smoke it. I told her I'd make it easy. She can tell them if they smoke it their father will kill them.
[ June 04, 2006, 11:55 PM: Message edited by: Stan the man ]
Posts: 2208 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Um, I have driven drunk. I feel no moral conflict telling my children not to drink and drive.
Posts: 10890 | Registered: May 2003
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I edited for clarification above. I'm not saying anyone is a hypocrite for saying to not do something they have done. That's just how my fiance is. ah well, sleep time. Gots to drive to CT to find a house tomorrow.
Posts: 2208 | Registered: Feb 2004
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If these were younger children, it would be more tragic. Given that they were college students I think darwin award all the way. Idiots. Yeah, thats cold, but what they did was exceptionally stupid.
Posts: 375 | Registered: Mar 2005
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As a veteran helium balloon inhaler (not sure how you officially become one.)I can tell you that what those kids did was just pointedly stupid. The helium as it passes your vocal chords is what makes your voice sound funny. But to go into a balloon in the hopes of being able to have that permanently is just plain stupid. You cannot breath.
I scuba dive ALOT and am nitrox certified. What that means is that I am qualified to mess around with the air composition in the tanks. All tampered tanks have their nitrogen lvls decreases and helium is used as the substitute, this helps avoid some of the effects of Nitrogen narcosis when diving. Its perfectly safe because the oxygen ratio is fine. Helium by itself as far as I have studied is non toxic. I believe wikipedia says as much.
In an air balloon the oygen is removed to make way for helium. I agree its cruel but those 2 students deserve a darwin award.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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"They got this test: it's a balloon. If you can get inside it, they know... you're small."
When I worked for Praxair we used to get notices of people who had died as a result of helium asphyxiation, etc. about once a year.
Most of the helium deaths are from simply breathing helium from a balloon to make your voice funny. Except that the victim passes out and falls and breaks their neck or head.
Asphyxiation isn't like being drunk. Your thoughts aren't disordered, they're non-existent. You can't accomodate anoxia the way you can accomodate alcohol. We got all kinds of horror stories at Praxair.
Of course there are also the people who try to breathe helium straight out of the regulator. Lungs aren't like balloons, they don't expand. They rupture. It doesn't take much pressure. Very low on my preferred ways to die. I'll take asphyxia any day over that.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:Originally posted by TrapperKeeper: If these were younger children, it would be more tragic. Given that they were college students I think darwin award all the way. Idiots. Yeah, thats cold, but what they did was exceptionally stupid.
If I'd never done anything that, in retrospect, seemed exceptionally stupid I'd be a lot quicker to judge the pair. I have done stupid stuff, though, some of which could have been life threatening.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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