Four Days on Xbox Sends Teenage Gamer to ER

[News]

After a 96-hour Call of Duty: Modern Warfare binge, the 15-year-old collapsed yesterday and was rushed to a hospital, suffering with dehydration.

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[BillKaneEMT]

Well thank goodness! We haven't had any alarming stories in the media regarding the evils of video games lately, I was getting worried! Here's a direct quote from the kid's mother.

"He's a very healthy kid. Nothing like that ever happened before," Rawlins said. "I never in a million years thought that a video game would involve his health."

I know right? That damn video game! If only there were a way of preventing this sort of thing! Some sort of.... I don't know. A special person who could say to the kid "Hey, see that big orange ball in the sky? Go outside and check that out. Alas, such people don't exist. No one is capable of telling a minor what to do for their own safety and wellbeing. Curse you cruel video games!!! I think the only possible reaction here would be a nationwide xbox ban. It's really the only solution at this point. I am going to personally set fire to all video game devices I see from this day forward. I'll be The Masked Video Game Avenger! No longer will these horrifically evil devices torment the beloved children of this nation! I shall free the young generation from the tyranny of pixels! It's all up to me now. Who will join my crusade to end this scourge of our world's youth?! Will no one else come forward? The fate of children everywhere lies in your hands. And mine. Definitely not the hands of their parents though. I want to make that clear. Asking a parent or legal guardian to take care of something like this is just out of line. It's up to us EMT City-ites!

The power is YOURS!

*strolls off into the sunset to the Captain Planet theme song*

edit: I realize that it's occasionally tough to discern sarcasm in online forum posts. I'm fairly sure I put enough emphasis on that to make my point of view clear to just about everyone. If you are unclear, bear in mind that the preceding was entirely tongue in cheek before posting angry responses or pm's. Thank you.

Edited August 10, 2012 by BillKaneEMT

[thrutheashes]

ok. let me see if I understand this? The kid plays 96hrs of Call of Duty, then goes out with apparantly absentee mommy dearest, and then collapses? Gee, ya think?

You'd think his mom would have said something to him sooner. But wait, he was playing a video game and "I never in a million years thought that a videogame would involve his health." Gee mom, where have you been for the past 15 or so years. I've lost track of the number of reports correlating increased game play with decreased health, and that is just playing recreationally, not on a 96hr bender! And this, my fair emt city-ites is why we shall never be unemployed!

[Cookie]

Rather than put in print what I really think about this parent, I will just say Words Escape Me.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Bill I'm offended at what you said. I cannot believe that you would advocate that someone would not play call of duty for 96 hours. You my friend are a terrible person not letting their children do whatever the hell they want.

I for one allow my child to go outside for hours on end to ride his bike, play kickball with his friends and occasionally and I mean occasionally he gets to play some video games but only when and if his room his clean.

How dare you advocate that playing call of duty for 96 hours is ok. I better re-evaluate my parenting styles.

(*** sarcasm)

My son would never have gotten as far as 5 hours of a marathon session of call of duty let alone 12 hours.

I actually have a box that turns the x-box and tv off after 4 hours so that is not a possibility anyway.

Anyone who plays any game for more than 5 hours has a problem anyway if you ask me.

Capn.

[Richard B the EMT]

4 days? If the mom can neglect her son for 4 days, allowing him to go, nonstop, on a video game, it's time for child services to be involved.