What’s the Benadryl challenge that has left a US teen critically ill?

A bizarre and reckless viral "Benadryl challenge" has left a US teen critically ill. The dangerous challenge includes intentionally taking extreme amounts of the over-the-counter allergy medication called "diphenhydramine." Diphenhydramine is mainly sold under the brand name Benadryl.

The challenge also includes an attempt to remain awake even though they are being made drowsy. The dangerous challenge can lead to serious side effects, including seizures and cardiac arrest.

An Oklahoma teenager, Leah Presson, 15, wanted to be TikTok famous, but has now fallen critically ill after trying a viral social media challenge. Presson is in an intensive care unit in Oklahoma, KFOR, according to an Oklahoma City report.  

We take a look.

What has Benadryl challenge done to Leah?

On Tuesday (June 16), Presson was hospitalised with "zero brain activity" after the attempt. Her symptoms reportedly indicated a possible overdose of diphenhydramine, which can be fatal.

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While speaking to NewsNation's Elizabeth Vargas Reports podcast, her father, Richard Presson, disclosed that it was not the first time Leah had taken the "Benadryl Challenge." She has attempted it before as well to become famous.

"Leah is a very great person, and she always wanted to be TikTok famous. It hurts to see that my daughter is now lying lifeless because of some challenge that couldn't be stopped," he said.

The heartbroken father, holding on to hope, added: "I don't even want to think about a funeral because I feel like there's still hope and everybody's like, giving up too soon."

"I believe in miracles, that she's definitely a miracle baby. I just want everybody to be aware of where they can educate their kids. But these challenges are just silly, and they need to be educated so it doesn't happen again," the report quoted him as saying.

What is Diphenhydramine?

It's an over-the-counter antihistamine used to treat cold or allergy reactions. It is safe when taken at standard and recommended doses; however, higher doses can trigger an anticholinergic toxidrome. This toxidrome refers to a state of acute poisoning in which toxic substances completely disrupt the central nervous system.

Media professionals have cautioned that the dosage needed to experience hallucinations is dangerously close to the dosage that leads to a total cardiac arrest.

When did the challenge first begin to circulate?

This deadly challenge began circulating in 2020; however, it has also started circulating on social media platforms in recent weeks. The challenge seeks social media users to take an excessive amount of medication in order to attempt to experience a high, which can cause hallucinations.

Videos about the challenge circulated on TikTok in 2020, and it was then that the US Food and Drug Administration formally requested that TikTok remove the videos. According to reports, it also issued a formal Drug Safety Communication warning.

"It is a warning that 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. 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," the administration said at that time.

Since 2020, search terms like "Benadryl" have been blocked, but several teens continue to bypass these blocks by using alternative keywords or sharing them in private chats with friends.

Consuming a large dose of "Benadryl" can cause the heart to go out of rhythm and not pump blood effectively.

The FDA has previously advised that anyone who may have taken an excessive dose of diphenhydramine should contact poison control immediately.

The first reported teenage death linked to the Benadryl challenge occurred in 2020, when a 15-year-old girl in Oklahoma died.

With inputs from agencies