Image via WikipediaThe Case Against Tylenol Strengthens
In September of 2010, Advanced Pediatrics cited a growing body of evidence that acetaminophen, the main ingredient in Tylenol, which is also found in many cold remedies, might actually cause asthma to occur in children. http://advancedped.blogspot.com/2010/09/acetaminophen-serious-question-leads-to.html
Since that time there have been reports in The New York Times and now on February 20, 2012 on NPR, that it really is time to stop using Tylenol and any other remedy that contains acetaminophen.
The issue is that studies demonstrate a clear trend. When we look at any group of children, the more acetaminophen they take, the higher the chance they will develop asthma. Further, when a country adopts use of acetaminophen, that country's incidence of asthma goes up.
These are the two facts that led Advanced Pediatrics in 2010 to advise stopping use of acetaminophen. Now we are hearing that study after study has found the same observations, time and again. This has led a highly respected pulmonologist at Akron Children's, Dr. McBride to adopt the same line of advice Advanced Pediatrics offers: Stop Using Tylenol and other drugs containing Acetaminophen. This is the recommendation featured in the NPR story.
In the NPR story, some doctors correctly pointed out that we do not yet have proof that acetaminophen causes asthma to develop. The data so far establish an association, children who take lots of acetaminophen develop lots more asthma. But that may because those kids have other problems more than others, problems that really cause the asthma. Further asthma, they point out, is likely caused by many factors.
But in our experience, whenever a drug, particularly an optional drug, is observed to cause a problem the more you take it, we find it prudent to stop using it until it is know to actually cause the problem or not.
BOTTOM LINE
We strongly recommend all families stop giving their children acetaminophen at this time.
We strongly recommend all families stop giving their children acetaminophen at this time.
Dr. Arthur Lavin
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WOW !
ReplyDeleteI never new that something as simple asTylenol could potentially cause so many concerns. Sounds like I'm not the only one! Thanks for the info... looking forward to some more info.