The game likely seemed innocuous enough -- water poker. There were no drugs or alcohol involved, nor any naughty strip poker shenanigans. It was just a group of kids playing cards, in which the loser of each hand had to drink a glass of water. Tragically, however, that innocent- sounding game came to a deadly end for a 12-year-old girl.
It happened recently in Finland at a boarding school. According to the UPI, the well-liked girl was playing the game with friends, and she must have lost quite a few hands, as she drank more than six quarts of water in all. Then just hours later she was found ill, vomiting, and taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced brain dead. She died three days later. The cause: Water intoxication.
It's absolutely tragic that such a game could kill a young girl. Those kids probably had no idea it could have such deadly consequences. Before I read this story, if my son asked me if he could play a game with such rules, I'd have told him sure and would have counted my blessings that he was into such innocent fun. Unfortunately, this game is anything but innocent.
This was an extreme case, but it has happened before. A few years back a California woman died from water intoxication after participating in a radio station's contest to see how much water contestants could drink without going to the bathroom -- "Hold Your Wee for a Wii".
According to Scientific America, ingesting too much water leads to an insufficient amount of salt in one's blood. When salt levels get too low, the kidneys can't function correctly, and it can lead to swelling of the brain. Symptoms include things like headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and mental disorientation. It's incredible that water -- something we typically think of being such a healthy thing to ingest -- can do such damage.
While tragic, this certainly doesn't' mean we need to start putting a lock on our water faucets or grilling our kids about how much water they're drinking. But I guess like anything else, it's good to be aware of the dangers out there. And, of course, it's yet another reminder to teach our kids that moderation in most everything we do is usually prudent.
Would you have ever thought to fear an overdose of water?
Image via Greg Riegeler Photography/Flickr
This Hot Dad Wants to Do Your Ironing
KStew Refuses to Shower
This Hot Dad Wants to Cook You Dinner
This Hot Dad Cooks AND Does the Dishes
Comments 32
Forced consuption of water has been used for years. It was used against Americans and Chinese during World War II by the Japanese, and was also used against Filipinos by American Forces during the Philippine AMerica War. The Human Rights Watch organization reports that in the 2000s, security forces in Uganda (Africa) sometimes forced a detainee to lie face up under an open water tap.
whew! That sure is alot of water to connsume
Yup. I've known about it for along time. that's why you don't give babies water even in the summer time. They have all the liquid they need to keep hydrated with just formula or breastmilk and you just keep them in the cool shade or inside with ac or fans running.
My drivers Ed teacher told me of this. i cant drink that much water he said ppl do it instead of using liquior. crazy
Wow, I had no idea this was possible. I guess I did on some level; everything in moderation, but this is shocking to me. Besides the occasional alcoholic beverage during the weekend, all I drink is water after having had to make to 2 trips to the ER in high school due to dehydration(it's not wise to be a dancer and only drink soda :/) I consume a lot of salt though. Her poor family and friends. Hope parents will teach their kids that this is possible.
So good to know of the dangers behind this.. Who would have thought, WATER.. My heart goes out to this little girl and her family!