The challenge, which has been made popular thanks to online venues such as Facebook and YouTube is often performed as prank or joke on the unknowing person swallowing the cinnamon. Someone who eats a spoonful of ground cinnamon without water can wind up in the hospital and even have permanent lung damage. And kids with asthma or other respiratory problems are at risk for severe breathing difficulties while attempting this challenge. So I went over to my friends' house for a sleepover and when her parents went out for a walk, we decided to do the cinnamon challenge. That’s up to you to decide. And encourage them to share the truth about this risky prank with any friends who might be tempted to try it. The cinnamon challenge is another teen fixation that has been circulating on YouTube for more than five years. The immediate effects of the challenge include coughing, choking and burning of the mouth, nose and … Cinnamon is made from tree bark and contains cellulose, a substance that doesn’t break down easily. This can lead to pneumonia, a collapsed lung, and/or permanent lung damage. While tolerable in very small amounts, in larger concentrated amounts cinnamon can cause kids to gag, cough, choke, and have a burning sensation in the mouth, nose, and throat. It's a dare, mostly, consisting of a spoonful of cinnamon, a video camera, and a whole 'lotta discomfort. The Cinnamon Challenge is one of many dangerous dares that spread like wildfire thanks to social media. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. If it gets into your lungs, it stays there and can cause inflammation, thickening of lung tissue, and scarring. according to wikipedia the "cinnamon" we get here isn't "true cinnamon" and it contains coumarin which bad … Please dont answer if you dont know what Im talking about (P.S- go to youtube and look it up) Sounds easy, right? It has been the cause of many kids going to the emergency room and calling up poison centres. One of the large concerns surrounding the Cinnamon Challenge is the choking hazard that comes with attempting to swallow cinnamon in large amounts. YouTube is full of viral challenges that spread like wildfire across the internet, but how dangerous could they actually be? So it’s important that kids know that the cinnamon challenge is no joke. © 2021 Rady Children's Hospital–San Diego, COVID-19 Updates: Latest Information for Parents. Cinnamon also can trigger asthma flare-ups, making it hard to breathe. This challenge involves recording yourself while consuming a teaspoon of cinnamon. Cinnamon is a food, so why is the cinnamon challenge dangerous? The first known video of this outrageously dangerous internet challenge was uploaded in 2012, but a handful of fools attempt the stunt every once in a while. and what does it actually do? All rights reserved. Doing this is very dangerous as it can lead to coughing, choking, burning eyes and other such results. Unlike the Ghost Pepper Challenge, the Cinnamon Challenge can actually kill people who don’t have another health problem or issue. The Cinnamon Challenge almost always leads to extreme coughing fits or vomiting as the cinnamon immediately dries out the mouth. Date reviewed: May 2013. It may seem simple enough, but it’s almost impossible to do. Everyone, from celebs, to politicians, taking the cinnamon challenge. So it’s important that kids know that the cinnamon challenge is no joke. Is the Cinnamon Challenge dangerous? – Kelly* You’ve probably seen videos of people trying the cinnamon challenge. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. We only used a teaspoon each (not heaped), nobody choked or threw up or anything, and we had a cup of water just in case something did happen. It’s not. Unfortunately, these can make it look funny, so people often don’t know how dangerous it really is. This means that it sort of repels water. The cinnamon challenge became popular last year among teens, who made more than 50,000 YouTube clips of themselves trying the stunt, according to USA Today. like burn your mouth? Because cinnamon contain cellulose fibers that do not easily break down, the daredevils can find that it sticks on the way down, causing choking, irritation of the throat, coughing, and potentially a collapsed lung. Why is the Cinnamon Challenge dangerous? Someone who eats a spoonful of ground cinnamon without water can wind up in the hospital and even have permanent lung damage. Trying to swallow dry cinnamon usually causes a person to gag, cough, or choke. Cinnamon is dry AND hydrophobic. Accidental inhalation of cinnamon can seriously damage the lungs by causing inflammationand leading to infection. Within the past five years, the Cinnamon Challenge has become a certified viral trend. Cinnamon is a food, so why is the “cinnamon challenge” considered harmful?– Kelly. Cinnamon is a food, so why is the cinnamon challenge dangerous? The infamous “Cinnamon Challenge”, a YouTube fad in which teens compete to swallow one tablespoon of cinnamon in under 60 seconds without drinking water is … The bizarre and virally popular internet trend dares individuals to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon, without water, in under 60 seconds. The point of the challenge is to work on a single tablespoon of cinnamon. A patient presented to triage in severe respiratory distress after aspirating cinnamon while doing the cinnamon challenge. It may seem simple enough, but it’s almost impossible to do. And since the cinnamon challenge involves teens swallowing a spoonful of cinnamon without having anything to drink – it can lead to immediate and potentially deadly breathing problems. The Cinnamon Challenge. – Kelly*.