The "Skull breaker challenge", this disturbing challenge for children in vogue on Tik Tok

You may not have heard of it yet, but a new and dangerous challenge has appeared on social media, especially on Tik Tok, which is very popular with teenagers. This is the "Skull breaker challenge", which could be translated by the challenge of "the skull breaker" in French. In the United States, this practice is the cause of many injuries. In the show Without appointment Monday on Europe 1, doctor Jimmy Mohamed warns against this "stupid" and "dangerous" challenge. "The challenge is to blow up three people standing in a line. While the middle person is in the air, the other two kick him in the legs to make him fall by surprise," he explains.

Parents' testimonies multiply in the United States

In the United States, testimonies from parents whose children have suffered from this practice are increasing on social networks and in the media. Doctor Jimmy Mohamed thus reports the message of an Arizona mother, published on Facebook, which tells how her son lost consciousness after falling on his face after this challenge. Consequences for the little boy: many stitches, lesions and two broken teeth.

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For Dr. Jimmy Mohamed, the most worrying remains the risk of head trauma, concussion, which can disrupt the functioning of the brain, up to hemorrhage. For concussion, "headaches, difficulty concentrating, memory loss, sensitivity to light and problems with balance or coordination are some of the possible symptoms," says our doctor. "Some symptoms last only a week or ten days, while others can last much longer, especially if you don't take enough time to recover," he adds.

Many risks, including fractures

Other risks also exist, such as neck trauma or fractures of the nose and jaw.

On Tik Tok, the phenomenon is gaining momentum. Videos with the hashtag "skullbreakerchallenge" already have millions of views. In response, the social network simply posted a message on its Twitter: "At Tik Tok, we always encourage a fun and safe environment. Help keep Tik Tok safe by reporting dangerous trends and other violations of our community guidelines."

At TikTok we always encourage a fun and safe environment. Help keep TikTok safe by reporting dangerous trends and other violations of our Community Guidelines https://t.co/oKNC0papRl

For Doctor Jimmy Mohamed, the most effective remains raising parents' awareness among their children.