In Stamford, Connecticut, three children have tragically lost their lives in the last two months due to overdoses of diphenhydramine, an antihistamine widely known under the brand name Benadryl. This information was confirmed by the state’s Office of the Child Advocate.
“The number of cases is alarming and definitely warrants attention,” commented Dr. Krishnan Narasimhan, who leads the family medicine department at Stamford Hospital.
While diphenhydramine has been a staple in allergy treatment, many medical professionals are now opting for more modern alternatives, moving away from this older medication.
Dr. Narasimhan highlighted the potential drawbacks of the drug, emphasizing its side effects.
“It has numerous side effects and can cross the blood-brain barrier, often leading to considerable sedation for those who take it,” he explained.
The state has withheld specific details about the victims’ ages and locations. Additionally, there has been no official connection made between these deaths and the “Benadryl Challenge,” a dangerous social media trend that initially gained notoriety in 2020 and occasionally resurfaces.
“This has been going on for years, starting with the Tide Pod Challenge, the cinnamon challenge. There’s so many things that we’ve talked to them for years and years about not doing any of these things, and they’re even considering it to talk to us first,” Stamford parent Michele Hayes said.
The challenge encourages participants to take as many as 24 tablets in 24 hours to induce hallucinations, which are then recorded and posted online.
That amount is double the recommended adult dosage and, according to doctors, can impair breathing to the point of coma and cause other toxic effects.
“You can get severely agitated. You can have extra heartbeats. Which can lead to cardiac complications and actually can lead to cardiac arrest and death,” Narasimhan said.
Doctors advise families to secure all medications.
A family friend of one victim told ABC New York affiliate WABC that a 13-year-old girl in Waterbury had Benadryl delivered through DoorDash without an ID check.
The deaths remain under investigation.
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