title: Accidental childhood death from diphenhydramine overdosage.
abstract: A 15-month-old boy presented to an emergency department with tonic clonic jerking of all extremities and dancing eye movements. A history of instant coffee ingestion was obtained at that time. However, a routine blood analysis and toxicology screen showed a diphenhydramine level of 1.0 mg% (lethal, 0.5 mg%). Generalized tonic clonic seizures continued despite conventional therapy. A continuous thiopental infusion was used to control his seizure activity. This child never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead 7 days postingestion.
authors.affiliation: Pittsburgh Poison Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Goetz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Krenzelok
mesh_terms: D004155:Diphenhydramine / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012640:Seizures / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D004155:Diphenhydramine