Ohio boy, 13, dead after trying TikTok ‘Benadryl Challenge’
A 13-year-old Ohio boy is dead after attempting the TikTok “Benadryl Challenge.”
Now, the boy’s parents are warning others about the social media trend.
According to ABC6.com, Jacob Stevens – who was on a ventilator for a week – consumed 12 to 14 pills of the antihistamine, six times the recommended dose, in an attempt to induce hallucinations.
Justin Stevens, Jacob’s father, told ABC6 that Jacob and his friends were filming him as he attempted the social media challenge when he began to seize.
Johnson & Johnson, which makes Benadryl, cautioned on its website that this “is a dangerous trend and should be stopped immediately.”
In 2020, the Food and Drug administration also put out a public service announcement.
“Taking higher than recommended doses of the common over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medicine diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can lead to serious heart problems, seizures, coma or even death,” the agency wrote.
“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.”
They added, “Health care professionals should be aware that the ‘Benadryl Challenge’ is occurring among teens and alert their caregivers about it.”
Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.