3 Connecticut children die following unusual over-the-counter drug overdoses

A string of over-the-counter drug-induced deaths is putting care providers and state officials on high alert.In the past two months, three children in Connecticut have allegedly died in connection to overdoses of diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl.The fatalities were confirmed earlier this week by the state Office of the Child Advocate (OCA).“That’s unusual.And definitely a cause for concern because it’s a lot,” Dr.

Krishnan Narasimhan, head of family medicine at Stamford Hospital, told Connecticut Public Radio.Last week, Connecticut issued a statewide advisory urging health care providers to alert families to identify and safely store products containing diphenhydramine.“We want parents to be aware that any medication, including prescription and non-prescription medication, is potentially dangerous to children of all ages,” the OCA said in a statement.“We strongly encourage parents to store all medications safely, to ensure they are not easily accessible to children.”When used properly, Benadryl and other diphenhydramine-based medicines are meant to relieve symptoms of seasonal or situational allergies or the common cold, such as a runny nose or sneezing.However, the drug is associated with side effects including elevated heart rate, agitation, seizures, hyperactivity, hallucinations, urinary retention that can cause kidney dysfunction, and arrhythmia.“It crosses the blood-brain barrier.

And so one of the common things, if you’ve ever used diphenhydramine or given it to someone, is that they get very sedated,” said Narasimhan.Owing to these side effects and the potential for overdose, care providers are increasingly ditching Benadryl in favor of alternative treatments.Zyrtec, or cetirizine, for example, can be used to treat allergies without the risk of adverse side effects.“Our hearts go out to those impacted by the misuse of diphenhydramine-containing products,” Kenvue, maker of Benadryl, said in a statement to ABC News...