12-year-old boy suffers heart attack after reel challenge involving inhalation of deodorant

A 12-year-old boy from South Yorkshire, UK, nearly lost his life after participating in a dangerous TikTok trend known as "chroming." The practice involves inhaling chemicals from household items to experience a brief high.

Boy Collapsed at Home

Cesar Watson-King, the boy, collapsed at his home in Doncaster on August 21 after inhaling deodorant. His mother, Nichola King, found him having a seizure on the kitchen floor before he went into cardiac arrest. Her eldest son, Kaiden, immediately called emergency services, while Nichola performed CPR until the ambulance arrived.

Cesar was placed in a medically induced coma after suffering further seizures and cardiac arrests. After two days in intensive care, he regained consciousness and was discharged from the hospital after eight days.

Chroming Dangers

The "chroming" trend involves inhaling toxic chemicals from substances like aerosol cans, paint, or cleaning products. According to experts, this practice can cause slurred speech, dizziness, hallucinations, and nausea. It can also lead to heart attacks, suffocation, and, in severe cases, death.

Mother's Warning

Recalling the incident, Nichola said, "I had just finished breastfeeding my baby when I heard a loud bang. I found Cesar on the floor, his eyes rolling back into his head. He was having a seizure."

Nichola shared her experience to raise awareness of the dangers of chroming, saying, "If I hadn’t heard something that night, I would have found a dead body in the morning."

She also stressed the importance of parents learning first aid. "I believe anyone with kids should attend a first aid course. It could be the difference between life and death."