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
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Comments 32
that's pretty scary.....we used to play a game at camp where participants drank a ton of water.....i saw some get sick.....thankfully no one died!!!....like others have said.....too much of anything can be bad!....my heart goes out to the family and friends of that little girl!!!!
Too much of anything is bad for our bodies..
It happens to runners all the time...especially marathon runners. That's why they encourage things like gatorade.
I have an ongoing problem with this. My siblings and I inherited a penchant for over-consumption of liquids from our father. We literally drink 4 or more quarts of liquid a day. We also live in one of the hottest cities in the US. So, we never thought much of it. in my late 30s, my Dr. started noting my low levels of sodium. I have taken supplements, added salt (which I normally don't do for taste), and kept seaweed snacks on hand. It has come down to my Dr. saying I need to lower my water intake. I feel like I'm thirsty all the time. It's a very tough thing to deal with, but low salt levels can be serious, even causing mental disorders.
Yep, I live in Sacramento, CA and remember that mom.. it was awful and those radio show hosts (to a station I listened to) were fired and replaced. Also, the military goes through training on how to prevent water intoxication, they even have a tool built on their helmets to induce vomitting to prevent water intoxication. It's sad though cause as a teenager I would have never guess. Parents, schools, prevention programs stress alcohol poisoning and drug overdose but never once mentioned the dangers of water!