THERE is something so tempting about a pile of leaves.
As enticing as they may appear, hidden dangers could be lurking under the leafy mounds, a doctor has warned.
Responding to a viral Tiktok, plastic surgeon Doctor Kell urges people not to “blindly dive” into leaves headfirst without knowing how deep it is or what’s underneath.
In the video, you can see a man throwing himself into a large pile of leaves and disappear.
“This video terrifies me,” the doctor said. “One of the saddest things I’ve seen during my medical training is people break their neck by doing this.”
The doctors response video has racked up almost 15,000 views and hundreds of comments from people sharing horror stories of friends and family members jumping into piles of leaves.
One user said: “A friend of mine is paralysed from the neck down because of this, can’t explain enough how one decision can change your life.”
Another added: “I know way too many people that have dove into pools and hurt their neck or broken their teeth.”
“My aunt did that as a child, she was left paralysed for a year and 60 years later she still can’t fully move her arms,” third responded.
Even jumping into smaller piles of leaves can be dangerous, another doctor has warned.
If the leaves are wet – which, given the amount it rains, is not uncommon – you risk your child coming into contact with certain bacteria such as mould.
This can be especially harmful to kids who suffer from asthma or have an allergy to the fungus.
According to Sarah A. Denny, MD, a paediatrician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio: “Children who have asthma and also have a mould allergy are at risk of having an asthma exacerbation from the mould exposure.
“Children who are allergic to mould should avoid raking leaves or playing in leaf piles, especially wet leaves.”
Piles of fallen leaves could also be home to nasty parasites like ticks.
Pest expert Jim Dill told Bangor Daily News: “If you rake a bunch of leaves up from (where your yard meets the woods) there is a possibility that there is a tick but only if there are ticks there to begin with.”
