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The “Benadryl Challenge” was also linked to sending three teens in Fort Worth, Texas to the hospital in May. It comes down to talking with them to keep a pulse on what’s happening.Last month, a 15-year-old Oklahoma City teen died from an overdose of Benadryl that was blamed on the social media stunt. Parents need to be aware of what their kids are being exposed to and what items they have in their home relating to it.Īnd it’s not just solely what kids see online – their friends, babysitters, older siblings, what they hear in school – can all have an impact on them. This challenge is particularly dangerous because it’s an OTC medication and it’s easy to obtain. The more you talk about it, the more awareness it brings, she says. Just as you would discuss illegal drugs, vaping, sexting and safe sex, you’ll need to address what your kids are seeing online and on social media. Grover says that discussing online videos or viral risky challenges needs to become part of the conversation you have with your children and teens. “So the more risky or shocking, the greater the possibility that more people will see it.” So what can parents do?ĭr. “It’s tricky because teens can get positive reinforcement with all the likes and views from the videos they post,” says Dr. The Tide pod challenge and the cinnamon challenge were among the first fads to develop negative attention regarding unsafe behavior, filmed to fuel online popularity.
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The Benadryl challenge isn’t the first time that a viral online dare has made headlines and raised concerned among the medical community. “You can’t pinpoint an outcome because everyone will respond differently, which makes this challenge so dangerous and risky.” Teens are often highly influenced “An overdose can harm everyone differently,” Dr. All of these conditions could result in permanent brain damage or induce a coma. Large doses of Benadryl can cause high heart rates, which can trigger an arrhythmia, stroke, seizure or cardiac arrest. Blurred vision, which could result in falls and injury.Confusion, sedation, delirium, hallucination.But taken in excessive amounts, risks can include: The most common side effect of diphenhydramine, when taken correctly, is drowsiness. The instructions also say not to take the medicine more than six times in 24 hours.
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The challenge encourages users to take upwards of 12 tablets at a time, while the directions say children age 6 to 12 should take one tablet every 4 to 6 hours, and adults should take no more than 2 tablets every 4 to 6 hours. Pediatric emergency medicine specialist Purva Grover, MD, says the challenge is extremely dangerous and both teens and parents need to be aware of the risks. Recently, the smartphone app has featured videos challenging users to take large amounts of an over-the-counter drug, diphenhydramine, aka Benadryl®, to cause hallucinations or induce an altered mental state.īenadryl is an antihistamine most commonly used to treat seasonal allergies, but it can also lessen cold symptoms and reduce itching from bug bites, hives or rashes. The latest challenge to hit the app has health experts and parents alike concerned.
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Policyīut a darker side of TikTok exists, often times promoting dares or risky behavior. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.
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