>>> TONIGHT PARENTS ARE RAISING
MEDICATION.
CONSTIPATION.
BUT THEY BELIEVE IT'S CAUSING
NEUROLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL
PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN.
CHILDREN.
>> NO IT'S NOT.
LABEL.
MANY PEDIATRICIANS TELL PARENTS
MER LAX IS SAFE UNDER THE BELIEF
THAT LITTLE IN THE BLOOD GETS
ABSORBED.
BUT MANY THINK THIS LAXATIVE
COULD BE CAUSED CAUSING ANGER
AGGRESSION AND SEIZURES.
>> HE WAS WIMPERING, COULDN'T
SLEEP, AND HAVING NIGHT TERRORS.
>> Reporter: HER 12-YEAR-OLD
SON BANKRUPTLY BECAME PARANOID.
>> I SAID WE HAVE TO ADMIT HIM
MIGHT BE SUICIDAL.
LINE.
REASON.
>> Reporter: MIKE ASKED WE
WOULD NOT IDENTIFY HIS SON WHO
HE SAID SUDDENLY BECAME ANGRY
AND AGGRESS AND I'VE STARTED
GRADE.
>> HE WANTED TO BE DEAD.
THAT WAS FRIGHTENING NOW.
>> Reporter: AFTER DOING
EXTENSIVE ONLINE RESEARCH, THEY
NOW BELIEVE THEIR SON'S
NEUROLOGICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC
PROBLEMS WERE CAUSED MY MER LAX.
ALSO KNOWN AS POLYETHYLENE CLAY
COLL 50.
THE OVER THE THE COUNTER
CONSTIPATION.
>> WE REALIZED, ONCE WE GAVE HIM
MER LARKS, HE WOULD HAVE
SEIZURES.
>> Reporter: MANY REPORTING
SIMILAR BEHAVIORAL CHANGES.
>> Reporter: DOCTORS CAN CHOOSE
TO BE WILLFULLY BLIND AND PUT
THEIR HEAD IN THE SAND AND NOT
LISTEN TO PARENT AFTER PARENT
AFTER PARENT OR THEY CAN START
PAYING ATTENTION AND START
REALIZING THAT PERHAPS THERE'S
SOMETHING TO THIS.
>> Reporter: MER LAX IS NOT
APPROVED FOR CHILDREN 16 OR
UNDER UNLESS A DOCTOR RECOMMENDS
OTHERWISE AND SHOULD BE USED FOR
NO MORE THAN SEVEN DAYS.
IT?
DAY.
>> Reporter: THE LAXATIVE
MANUFACTURER STATES WHILE IT'S
NOT LABELED FOR USE IN THE
PEDIATRIC POPULATION, THERE HAVE
BEEN MANY CLINICA STUDIES
CONDUCTED THAT HAVE DEMONSTRATED
SAFE 40 SHORT AND LONG-TERM USE.
WHEN MIKE STOPPED GIVING HIS
AWAY.
>> Reporter: THIS MOM'S STORY
IS MUCH MORE TRAGIC.
>> WHAT'S YOUR EMERGENCY?
>> I SHOT MY FATHER.
>> IS HE BREATHING?
>> NO HE'S DEAD.
I SHOT HIM TWICE.
IN THE CHEST.
>> Reporter: WARREN WILLIAM
WAS JUST 14-YEAR-OLD WHEN HE
BILL.
>> HE NEVER SHOULD HAVE SUFFERED
THERE THIS I MY HUSBAND NEVER
SHOULD HAVE DIED.
>> Reporter: AS HIS SON SERVES
OUT A PRISON SENTENCE.
>> THIS WAS A DRUG SUBSTANCE
ABUSED TOXIC PSYCHOSIS. AND MER
LAX WAS THE DRUG.
>>> THAT'S AN EXTREME CASE.
BUT THE U.S. FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION RECEIVED 100S OF
COMPLAINTS ABOUT MER LAX.
AT THIS POINT THE AGENCY SAYS IT
DOES NOT BELIEVE ANY ADDITIONAL
WARNINGS OR CHANGES ARE
NECESSARY.
HOWEVER, THE FDA HAS
COMMISSIONED A STUDY WITH A
HOSPITAL IN PHILADELPHIA TO SEE
IF THIS LAXATIVE IS HAVING ANY
ADVERSE EFFECTS ON CHILDREN.
>> IT CERTAINLY IS CONCERNING
WHEN YOU SEE SO MANY PARENTS
TELLING THESE SIMILAR STORIES.
BUT COULD THERE BE SOMETHING
ELSE GOING ON BESIDES MER LAX.
>> THERE ARE UNANSWERED
QUESTIONS AND THAT'S ONE THING
PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT.
THEY POINT OUT, CHILDREN WITH
CERTAIN PREEXISTING ISSUES, LIKE
SAY AUTISM, ADHD, OR ANXIETY,
OFTEN GET CONSTIPATED SO THEY'RE
TOLD TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN MER
LAX.
THAN ANYTHING IS ANSWERS.