Medical Reports: Over-the-Counter Overdose

WSVN -- We all talk to our kids about staying away from illegal drugs like marijuana and cocaine, but you may have a drug in your medicine cabinet that is just as dangerous.

Dr. Peter Antevy, Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital: "Recently we're seeing a large number of teenagers, younger teenagers, coming in after they have taken large doses of over-the-counter cough and cold medications."

Just last month, a group of sixth graders ended up in the pediatric emergency room at Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital after overdosing on Oricidin HBP Cough and Cold, also known as Triple C.

The over-the-counter medication contains Extromethorphan or DXM.

Dr. Peter Antevy: "If you use it in a very high dose, it gives you this kind of LSD-type high."

Girl: "I was scared. I didn't know what was happening. It felt like a dream."

We're concealing the identity of this 12-year-old girl, she swallowed eight of the little red pills in her school bathroom.

Girl: "When I was walking, I felt really weak, and I was wobbling. I couldn't walk straight, and I felt like literally I couldn't feel anything."

Like most kids her age, she didn't think an over-the-counter medication could be dangerous.

Girl: "I was just thinking, 'Well, I could just try it. It's no big deal,' but it ended up being a very big deal."

Her parents rushed to the emergency room.

Girl's Father: "I was totally thrown to think that a 12-year-old would be thinking about taking an OTC medication to get high."

An overdose can be serious. It can cause seizures, brain damage, even death.

Dr. Peter Antevy: "Yes, this can kill your child."

The company that makes Coricidin HBP issued this statement saying it "actively monitors claims concerning possible abuse of our products" and "We take these reports very seriously." The company also says it "supports restricting the sale of OTC cough and cold medicines containing DMX to those who are 18 and older," but parents say more needs to be done.

Dr. Peter Antevy: "This medicine is very dangerous, very, very dangerous. People, parents they have to know about this."

Diana Diaz: "Parents, keep in mind these products are also sold over the internet, so you should closely monitor what your child is doing online."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Joe Dimaggio Children's Hospital
Dr. Peter Antevy
3501 Johnson Street
Hollywood, FL 33021
www.jdch.com

Information on Abuse:

www.coricidinhbp.com/InformationOnAbuse
www.kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/cough_cold_medicine_abuse.html
www.ebasedprevention.org/oewn/coricidin