Health officials are warning parents again about the dangerous viral “Benadryl challenge” after at least five kids were hospitalized in San Diego.
The challenge, which has circulated on social media for years, encourages young people to take large amounts of the over-the-counter allergy medicine Benadryl in an attempt to hallucinate.
Doctors say the trend is extremely dangerous and can lead to seizures, heart problems and even death.
At least five children were taken to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego in late May after attempting the challenge, according to local outlet KUSI.
Dr. Shahfar Khan, a pediatrician at the hospital, said doctors have been seeing teenagers and young adults affected by the trend.
“So we’re seeing a lot of 16 to 18 year olds, also young adults, 20 to 22,” Khan told KUSI.
Khan warned that taking large amounts of Benadryl can affect several major systems in the body.
“When you’re really taking it in large quantities, it can have an effect on various systems of the body,” Khan said.
“It can cause agitation, hallucinations, a very fast heart rate that could lead to cardiac arrest. Seizures we see often with the Benadryl ingestion as well.”
None of the five children recently treated in San Diego had to be admitted for ongoing care, according to the hospital.
Still, doctors and health officials say the outcome could have been much worse.
Benadryl contains diphenhydramine, a medication that is generally safe when used as directed but can become dangerous when misused or taken in excessive amounts.
Kenvue, the company that makes Benadryl, called the viral challenge “dangerous” and said it “should be stopped immediately.”
The company said it has been working with social media platforms to remove posts promoting the challenge.
“We’ve taken action to stop this behavior from spreading and work with social media platforms and their safety teams to remove these dangerous posts, including any new content we identify in our monitoring,” a Kenvue spokesperson said.
The company also said it works with nonprofit partners and health professionals to educate the public about proper use and safe storage of over-the-counter medicines.
The warning comes after past tragedies tied to the challenge.
In 2023, 13-year-old Jacob Stevens of Columbus, Ohio, died after overdosing while attempting the Benadryl challenge.
His family later spoke out to warn other parents about the danger.
“It was too much for his body,” Jacob’s father, Justin Stevens, told local outlet WSYX at the time.
Jacob was placed on a ventilator for six days before he died. His father called it “the worst day of his life.”
His family urged parents to pay close attention to what their children are watching online.
“Keep an eye on what your kid’s doing with that phone,” Jacob’s family said. “Talk to them about the situation. I want everyone to know about my son’s situation.”
The Benadryl challenge has been on the radar of federal health officials since at least 2020, when the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about the trend.
“Teens are participating in a dangerous ‘Benadryl Challenge’ on TikTok, which can lead to serious problems and death,” the FDA said at the time.
The agency said it was investigating reports of teen overdoses and urged parents to lock up Benadryl and other diphenhydramine-containing medicines to prevent misuse.
Now, after another cluster of hospitalizations in California, doctors are once again urging families to talk to kids about the risks.
How are any kids dumb enough to do something like this? Seriously parents know what your kids are doing on these phones. The kid who first starts this kind of thing should be tracked when it first starts and charged. Also these social media sites need to be held responsible for the crap they don’t take down immediately. Make an example out of them and this will stop.