ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome

Okay kiddo, have you ever heard of something called "neuroleptic malignant syndrome"? It's kind of a big phrase, but it basically means that someone has a very bad reaction to certain types of medicine that they take to feel better.

You know how when you get sick, your mom or dad might give you medicine to make you feel better? Well, sometimes grown-ups have to take stronger medicine if they're really sick or have special problems in their brain.

The medicine that we're talking about here is called a "neuroleptic" which is like a special type of medicine that can help with things like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or other mental health issues. But sometimes, when someone takes too much of this kind of medicine or takes it for too long, their body has a really bad reaction to it.

This is what's called "neuroleptic malignant syndrome". It's kind of like when you have a fever, but it's a really bad one that can make you very sick. Grown-ups who have this might feel very confused, have problems moving their muscles, or they might even have seizures.

It's important for doctors to know about this so they can help make sure that someone doesn't take too much of the medicine or stay on it too long. They might also watch the patient very closely to make sure that they don't get worse.

So there you have it, neuroleptic malignant syndrome is when a grown-up has a bad reaction to medicine they take to feel better. It's important to stay safe with medicine and always listen to what the doctor says.