Tragically, an adolescent from Ohio misplaced their life after taking an excessive amount of over-the-counter medication whereas performing a preferred TikTok prank.
Jacob Stevens, 13, the sufferer, had been collaborating within the “Benadryl Problem,” a dangerous exercise wherein gamers take 12 to 14 of the antihistamines, which is six instances the suggested quantity, to supply hallucinations.
Youngsters who tried the possibly deadly motion posted it to TikTok in 2020 in an effort to attain social media prominence.
Jacob’s father, Justin, advised ABC 6 that the weekend earlier than final, his son overdosed whereas visiting with associates at house.
Footage taken by his friends confirmed the Columbus resident downing the tablets, after which his physique reportedly began to grab up.
“It was an excessive amount of for his physique,” the teenager’s devastated father mentioned.
Jacob was subsequently rushed to the hospital and placed on a ventilator.
Regardless of medics’ finest efforts, the boy perished six days in a while what his father described because the “worst day of his life.”
Justin described listening to the devastating information that his son wouldn’t get up.
“No mind scan, there was nothing there,” the bereaved dad mentioned. “They mentioned we may preserve him on the vent, that he may lay there — however he won’t ever open his eyes, he’ll by no means breathe, smile, stroll or discuss.”
The boy’s grandmother, Dianna Stevens, fought by way of tears to inform their native TV information outlet: “I’m going to do something I can to verify one other baby doesn’t undergo it.”
In the meantime, Jacob is remembered by his household as a well-mannered, humorous, loving child.
“It didn’t matter how unhealthy of a day I used to be having, nobody may make me smile, Jacob may make me smile,” an emotional Justin recalled.
In mild of his son’s tragic loss of life, the devastated Ohioan can also be warning dad and mom in regards to the risks of teenagers utilizing social media unsupervised.
“Hold an eye fixed at what they’re doing on that telephone,” he mentioned. “Discuss to them in regards to the scenario. I need everybody to find out about my son.”
Moreover, Justin is pleading with politicians to impose age limitations on over-the-counter medicines like Benadryl; he calls this effort his “life aim.”
He desires TikTok to implement comparable safety measures, resembling requesting IDs from customers earlier than to account creation.
Sadly, Jacob isn’t the Benadryl Problem’s first casualty.
An different unsuccessful try at the stunt concerned a 15-year-old lady who overdosed tragically on the allergy medicine in August 2020.
Johnson & Johnson, the problem’s maker, warned the general public in regards to the problem after a slew of fatalities, saying: “The Benadryl TikTok pattern is extraordinarily regarding, harmful, and must be stopped instantly.”
A PSA was additionally launched by the Meals and Drug Administration.
“Taking greater than advisable doses of the widespread over-the-counter (OTC) allergy medication diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can result in critical coronary heart issues, seizures, coma and even loss of life,” the company wrote.
“We’re conscious of information reviews of youngsters ending up in emergency rooms or dying after collaborating within the ‘Benadryl Problem’ inspired in movies posted on the social media software TikTok.”
They added, “Well being care professionals must be conscious that the ‘Benadryl Problem’ is happening amongst teenagers and alert their caregivers about it.”