'Salt and ice' another dangerous challenge attracting kids

Deseret News ^ | 8.23.2012 | Lois M. Collins

[Morgana]

A new teen fad called "the salt and ice challenge" is drawing crowds on social networking sites and YouTube. But like other teen "challenges," it has proven to be dangerous. And health-care experts are telling parents to talk to their kids about the risks.

In Pittsburgh, a 12-year-old boy will spend the summer recovering as a result of having a large cross burned into his back by his twin brother and a pal as part of this newest challenge, according to the Post-Gazette. He ended up in the West Penn Burn Center for treatment.

For the challenge, tweens and teens put salt on their skin and then press ice into it to see who can tolerate the pain the longest. The longer the ice is pressed into the salt, the more serious the injury. CBS Pittsburgh noted that when salt comes in contact with ice, the freezing point of the ice is lowered as the salt dissolves. And that's a process that borrows energy from what is close by. In the case of this teen stunt, what is nearby is human flesh, so the energy is pulled from skin and "you get a burn similar to frostbite."

[Slings and Arrows]

Despite the drought, the US has raised a bumper crop of stupid.

[Smokin' Joe]

The same principle is used with ice cream makers. Pity they didn’t stick with ice cream...

[Darksheare]

NOT my fault.

[Slings and Arrows]

Your coffee has salt, doesn’t it?

[ApplegateRanch]

We used to see who could hold their hand in the ice cream bucket the longest.

First thing I thought of, too.

[Darksheare]

Yes.

[Slings and Arrows]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lXdyD2Yzls

[Darksheare]

Can I still deny involvement?

[Slings and Arrows]

Good idea.