Social media trends are becoming scarier by the day, and one of the latest has parents and safety experts seriously worried. A teen from the U.K., Lucas Howson, nearly lost a huge part of his tongue after participating in the dangerous “tap out” challenge that’s been spreading on TikTok and other platforms.Lucas, who’s from Lincolnshire, got into trouble while hanging out with friends at a park. His mom, Amy Howson, told NY Post that she got a frantic call on the night of July 17 letting her know something was wrong. “I was told he’d passed out in the park,” she explained. “I just dropped everything and rushed there.”On her way to the park, Amy got another call from one of the friends who was with Lucas, and this time the news was even more terrifying, he’d bitten through his tongue.When she arrived, she found her son sitting on the grass, covered in blood and crying. “I was shaking,” she recalled. “He didn’t even know where he was. He kept asking what happened, even after I told him.”According to people nearby, Lucas had been participating in the “tap out” challenge a stunt where friends put each other in chokeholds until they’re on the verge of passing out. The idea is that one person “taps out” before they lose consciousness, but that’s not always how it goes.Unfortunately for Lucas, it spiraled out of control. He passed out from lack of oxygen, fell to the ground, hit his chin, and bit off most of his tongue.Doctors later confirmed that he had bitten through three-quarters of it. He also suffered from amnesia because of the oxygen deprivation and was unconscious for around 20 seconds before coming to.Luckily, first responders were on hand, and Lucas’ friends were “absolutely distraught,” his mom said. He was rushed to the hospital where doctors managed to save him, and thankfully, he’s since made a full recovery.But the whole ordeal left a lasting impact. “He said, ‘We always do it. Everyone’s doing it around school,’” Amy shared. “They were just play-fighting, taking turns trying to get each other in headlocks.”She told her son how lucky he was to escape worse injury—or even death. She suspects that social media played a huge role in pushing him and his friends toward trying it. “He probably saw it online and thought it’d be fun,” she said.Now, Amy is calling for stricter controls on social media content. “These videos should definitely be reviewed. Don’t try them. I know when you’re a kid you think you’re invincible but you’re not,” she pleaded.This isn’t the first time such stunts have made headlines. Similar challenges have been linked to serious injuries and even fatalities, yet they keep popping up. Experts warn that trends like this can be deadly, especially when kids are pressured to impress friends or rack up views.Lucas’ story is a frightening reminder of how dangerous online challenges can be and how quickly things can go wrong when kids don’t fully understand the risks.For parents and guardians, it’s a wake-up call: keep an eye on what kids are watching, talking about, and trying online. And for teens? Some “fun” isn’t worth risking your life.