8 Dangerous TikTok Trends Parents Need to Know About

It may surprise you that there is a need to share these kind of warnings, but it will shock you more at how a lot of people actually try these crazy trends even though they are obviously very dangerous!

There have been so many troubling reports recently about the dangerous things kids are doing to get noticed on the platform.

Here are some of the most dangerous TikTok trends to watch out for to keep yourself and your kids and teens safe.

1. This viral TikTok cleaning hack

Parenting experts have issued a health warning against following advice from a TikTok user on how to clean oven racks and dirty laundry using frozen dishwashing liquid.

Australian Facebook group CPR Kids, which is run by registered nurses, say the cubes are a choking hazard for children as they look like a lolly or an ice block.

Chemicals also should not be stored in anything but their own packaging and kept away safely from children.

2. Warning over Vicks vaporub TikTok

Another TikTok video which has been “liked” by over one MILLION people, has been deemed downright dangerous.

To begin with, the woman put a generous dollop of the ointment – which contains the cough suppressants eucalyptus oil and menthol – in the top of the burner.

She then places a tealight underneath, lights it and watches as the product dissolves into a puddle.

But while thousands of people in the comments said they couldn’t wait to try it themselves, others highlighted how dangerous it is as Vaporub is flammable.

“I did this and almost burnt my house down,” one replied. “Do not recommend doing this – so unsafe!”

On the Vicks website, the brand warns against heating up their VapoRub.

The advice reads: “You should not heat or microwave Vicks VapoRub. Do not add Vicks VapoRub to hot water or any container where heating water. Doing so may cause splatters and burns.”

3. Deadly TikTok Magnet Trend

A terrified mum has warned of a “deadly” TikTok craze after her son has been left fighting for life after he swallowed magnets.

The dangerous TikTok craze sees youngsters pretend to have their tongue pierced.

The viral prank sees people place two magnetic balls on either side of their tongue and wiggle it around, creating an optical illusion that their piercing is stationary.

Magnets can be deadly if swallowed. The magnets continue to work even once inside the body and can stick to each other through loops of gastrointestinal tract, potentially causing bowel perforation or intestinal blockage.

The young boy remains in a critical condition after five tiny magnetic balls were discovered in his intestines and bowel.

4. Kids going missing thanks to TikTok

Parents are being warned to be alert over fears children are going missing for days – all because of a dangerous TikTok trend.

Parents have been urged to be on their guard over fears of an alleged TikTok trend where children go missing on purpose for 48 hours.

5. Blackout Challenge

Variations of this trend, which is also known as the “choking game,” have been around since long before TikTok. It involves cutting off one’s air supply until the point of unconsciousness.

6. Nutmeg Challenge

This bizarre method of getting high has been rapidly gaining popularity online. The idea is that consuming large amounts of nutmeg, usually mixed into some water, a chemical called myristicin affects the nervous system, possibly resulting in hallucinations, dizziness and nausea.

According to Healthline, nutmeg can actually get you high, as the spice contains the chemical compound myristicin. While this compound is also found in other kitchen spices, like parsley and dill, it’s highest in nutmeg, which is why consuming large amounts of it can create a hallucinogenic effect.

Consuming large amounts of the spice can cause side effects like hallucinations, drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, confusion, and in rare cases seizure, but there are more dangerous long term effects. In some cases, consuming large amounts of nutmeg can lead to organ failure or death when mixed with other drugs.

7. Salt and Ice Challenge

The salt and ice challenge involves putting salt on your skin and holding an ice cube on the spot for as long as possible. The combination creates a chemical reaction that causes pain and can lead to frostbite, or even first- or second-degree burns, and blisters.

8. Eye challenge

The eye challenge encouragesT ikTok users to put a Ziploc bag of jelly, hand sanitizer, bleach, and shaving cream, near their eye, claiming that it would change its colour.

What Parents Can Do

Dr. Harold S. Koplewicz, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, says that adolescents are vulnerable to mood disorders.

Their decision-making brain does not mature until the early to mid-twenties. They need support and guidance. “There’s a real difference between the brains of teenagers and adults… They feel everything so much more intensely.”

Adolescents prefer high-excitement and low-effort activities. They’re receptive to dangerous games, risky acts, and social media contagions.

Kids are easily influenced by the latest trends and by their need to belong to the in-crowd.

They use these dares to prove themselves and build their self-esteem. They often cannot correctly evaluate the consequences, for themselves or others.

Although they’re still held responsible if they harm others in the process, they don’t think about such consequences.

Parents can educate themselves before their kids go too far. A simple Google search for dangerous social media trends among teenagers will provide some guidance.

Talk to your kids!

Know who their mates are and what their interests are, chat to them about the latest dares you might hear about and let them know the dangers involved. Always keep the doors of communication open.