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By India Today World Desk: The parents of a 13-year-old boy from the United State’s Ohio, who died doing the TikTok ‘Benadryl Challenge’, have started warning other parents about the dangerous social media trend.
According to a report on ABC6.com, Jacob Stevens, the boy, passed away after spending almost a week on a ventilator. His family revealed that he had ingested 12 to 14 pills of an over-the-counter antihistamine in a bid to experience hallucinations. Jacob’s father, Justin Stevens, told ABC6 that his son and his friends were recording him while he attempted the social media challenge. However, Jacob’s body began to convulse during the ordeal.
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“When he did it all came at once and it was too much for his body,” he said.
After six days on a ventilator, Jacob died; a moment his grieving father called “the worst day of his life.”
Jacob’s family has been motivated by the tragedy to caution other parents against the dangers of the “Benadryl Challenge” and to monitor their children’s online activities to prevent further attempts. Additionally, Jacob’s father had taken the initiative to contact local legislators to consider imposing age restrictions on the purchase of medication like Benadryl.
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For several years, the Food and Drug Administration has been raising concerns about overdoses linked to the “Benadryl Challenge” on TikTok. Benadryl is composed of diphenhydramine, an antihistamine that is used to temporarily alleviate symptoms caused by allergies or the common cold. The FDA has clarified that while diphenhydramine is safe and effective when used as directed, higher doses can result in severe heart issues, seizures, coma, or even death.
The unit of Johnson & Johnson is responsible for producing Benadryl has also cautioned on its website that this “dangerous trend” must be stopped immediately. Both the company and the FDA have advised adults to keep medications like Benadryl out of children’s reach.
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