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Ambulance<\/p>\n
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Getty Images | Royalty Free<\/p>\n
A TikTok trend known as the \u201cBenadryl challenge<\/a>\u201d is sending dozens of kids to the emergency room at Cook Children\u2019s Medical Center in Fort Worth, the health system said. But what is the social media fad really about?<\/p>\n What is the \u201cBenadryl challenge?\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cBenadryl challenge\u201d is a social media trend that encourages teens and pre-teens to intentionally overdose<\/a> on the allergy drug Benadryl and then fight the drowsiness the drug induces in an attempt to experience hallucinations or a high.<\/p>\n The trend first took off in 2020. Now, the fad is back, and it\u2019s encouraging dozens of children to ingest dangerous amounts of Benadryl.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the risk of overdosing on Benadryl?<\/p>\n In 2020, when the Benadryl challenge first became popular on social media, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cautioned that large doses of the drug<\/a> could cause \u201cserious heart problems, seizures, coma, or even death.\u201d<\/p>\n Dr. Stephanie Felton, associate medical director for the Cook Children\u2019s emergency department, said overdoses can also cause high heart rate or arrhythmia and urinary retention that can cause renal or kidney dysfunction.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the impact been in Fort Worth?<\/p>\n More than 100 children<\/a> have gone to the Cook Children\u2019s emergency room for Benadryl overdoses in the last six months, and one child has died, according to the Cook Children\u2019s Health Care System.<\/p>\n What should parents do to keep their children safe?<\/p>\n Felton, of Cook Children\u2019s, encouraged parents to have open, honest conversations with their children about their social media use.<\/p>\n \u201cA simple conversation and continued conversations \u2026 are important so we have an open door policy with our kids so that they know that they have a safe place to come to with these questions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Felton also said parents should keep medications, including Benadryl, stored safely in the home so that children don\u2019t have unlimited access to them.<\/p>\n \u2b50 Our editors also recommend: <\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n