Dangerous ‘Benadryl’ challenge lands a 13-year-old girl in ER after overdose

A 13-year-old girl from Horry County, South Carolina, was rushed to the hospital after nearly overdosing on Benadryl pills, which she consumed as part of an online challenge. The anonymous teenager’s mother told the local outlet that the girl started hallucinating and her heart rate spiked to about 200 beats per minute. The teenager’s parents rushed her to the hospital after finding the bottle of pills spilled under her pillow. The mother found that a significant number of pills were missing from the hospital. “I asked her how many she took, and she told me two, but I didn’t believe her because the bottle was open and there were pills on the bed. My husband and I counted them, and we noticed a large amount was missing,” the mother told WMBF News. The girl reportedly took the pills as part of an online challenge called the ‘Benadryl’ challenge. She told doctors that a friend told her Benadryl could produce a high. The girl’s social media feed was full of videos of teenagers allegedly taking part in the challenge, which has gone viral, according to her mother. The mother told the outlet that she tried reporting the videos; however, she was informed that those videos didn’t violate the app’s policies. The teen girl reportedly bough the medication when she went to a store by herself to purchase batteries. The mother added tha the whole incident was ‘really scary’ and she do not want any other parent to go through this. The anonymity of the girl is maintained for privacy reasons. Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is a common over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicine. This medication is used to relieve allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching, a runny nose, rash, and hives. They are available as oral medication, topical creams, and gels. When used as recommended, it is a safe and effective medicine. Some of the common side effects of the drug include drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth and throat, confusion, and blurred vision. The Benadryl challenge grew popular in 2020, via TikTok, where youngsters deliberately consumed excessive amounts of the medication, as it acts as a deliriant in high doses. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned about this dangerous challenge. The agency warned that taking higher than recommended doses of the drug can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma, or even death. “We are aware of news reports of teenagers ending up in emergency rooms or dying after participating in the 'Benadryl Challenge' encouraged in videos posted on the social media application TikTok,” the FDA said in a release in 2020. “Consumers, parents, and caregivers should store diphenhydramine and all other OTC and prescription medicines up and away and out of children’s reach and sight. FDA recommends you lock up medicines to prevent accidental poisonings by children and misuse by teens,” the FDA said.