Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Teenagers in Belgium are participating in the dangerous Paracetamol challenge on TikTok, risking overdose with potentially fatal consequences, prompting emergency alerts from health officials.
The emerging viral trend circulating on TikTok is called the Paracetamol challenge. Doctors and also poison control centers in Belgium raise concerns over it. Teens take an overdose of paracetamol for the purpose of discovering who will stay longer in the hospital, just for an hour. It is a drug given to treat aches and fever, but overdose may lead to several health complications severe health complications.
It is known to harm the liver function as indicated by Medicals, hence resulting in a collapse of the organ. A person may face an organ transplant and also death in its extreme consequences. Overdose symptoms involve nausea, abdominal pains, and yellowness in the skin. The individual may show such symptoms hours or days after consuming the medicine. These doctors are of great concern. This trend puts young lives at risk and adds more stress in service to emergency services.
Is the Paracetamol challenge on TikTok a serious threat to Belgian teenagers’ health?
The Belgian Poison Control Centre has strongly criticised the Paracetamol challenge. They say it can be very dangerous and are asking for action to stop it. Parents, teachers, and carers need to educate teens about the risks involved and the severity of the damage caused. The centre plans to collaborate with schools and social media organisations to educate people about this activity and its encouragement.
Experts believe that there is a need for open dialogues between adults and teens. To prevent further issues, they suggest stricter regulations for social media content and enhanced regulation of access to medicines like paracetamol. They mentioned that this challenge highlights the need for education and care to protect young people from the risks of viral trends.
Patrick De Cock, a spokesperson for the Belgian Poison Control Centre, is very worried about this trend coming to Belgium. He called it a “silly game” that can be very dangerous. De Cock and other experts want quick action to stop this trend. They are asking for better awareness campaigns and steps to help protect teenagers from the risks of this viral challenge.
“Those young people are making a ridiculous game of it while such an overdose is life-threatening.”
Says spokesman Patrick De Cock.
Overdose with paracetamol will lead to extreme harm in the body, primarily to the liver and kidneys. A high dose is usually given that will be processed slowly by the liver, hence resulting in massive damage. Some patients get so badly damaged that they need to be transplanted with a new liver to survive.
In the worst cases, taking too much can even lead to death. This makes the trend very concerning for doctors and health experts. Dr. Gerlant Van Berlaer, an emergency doctor at UZ Brussels, is concerned about how often children get poisoned by paracetamol. He says it is one of the main reasons kids are taken to intensive care.
He mentioned that if someone feels a child has taken too much paracetamol, they can call the Belgian Poison Control Centre for assistance. Their free hotline, 070 245 245, is open 24 hours a day, and experts can be consulted about what to do.
Since it first became noticed in the United States in August 2023, this Paracetamol challenge has become a very major concern. Starting with just one case, it was picked up in many other countries using social media like TikTok. The challenge calls on teens to take an outrageous amount of paracetamol in a game. Now, it has reached Belgium, causing alarms among local health workers and officials. They are very concerned about the risks involved and want to stop this harmful trend.
