Go-To Childhood Medicine May Increase Asthma Risk

on November 10, 2011 at 9:24 PM

inhaler My 2-year-old daughter gets sick a lot. Since starting preschool last year, it seems we haven't gone more than a couple weeks without her coming down with a new bug when school is in session. And when she gets sick, she gets sicker than most children, and the cough and fever move into her lungs. So it's no surprise that after getting sick twice within the first month of school this year, she was diagnosed with asthma. What is surprising is that one of the things we are told to give her every time she gets sick is something that just may have caused the asthma in the first place -- acetaminophen.

A new report published in the December issue of Pediatrics found a strong link between the two. Whether it's because acetaminophen causes asthma or exacerbates it, or because people with asthma take more acetaminophen isn't known, but at least one doctor is urging for caution when using the popular drug.

Dr. John McBride, vice chair of the department of pediatrics and director of the Robert T. Stone Respiratory Center at Akron Children's Hospital, told USA Today:

I think we owe it to our patients and their parents to make it clear that maybe acetaminophen is bad. And, if there are alternatives, people might want to use those alternatives until they know acetaminophen is safe.

Wow, that kind of makes me dread the next sniffle that's surely right around the corner, and the numbers he found make me want to heed his advice. For example, 6- to 7-year-olds who took acetaminophen more than once a year (but less than once a month) had a 61 percent greater risk of asthma. That's a lot of risk for a little Tylenol. There were various fluctuations among age groups, but most showed some link, even in adults.

It's interesting information to have, even if it's not yet proven, and it does to some extent reinforce my strong instinct to avoid as many medications as possible -- no matter how safe we're told they are. High fevers obviously need to be treated with something (ibuprofen is the alternative), but in general I'm not one to race to the medicine cabinet for every little ache and pain. My husband and I disagree over this approach, but it's studies like these that I file away for future reference when I'm trying to get him to see my way of thinking: that we should just let our bodies work out their ailments as best they can.

Do you give your children acetaminophen? Do they have asthma? What do you think of the theory that the two may be linked?

Image via Dottie Mae/Flickr

About the author Julie Ryan Evans

can be found writing from coffee houses wherever she may be. The quality of her days is largely influenced by the seat she nabs and whether a protein plate is available.

Filed Under: in the news, kid health

Comments (99)

momtolittleg

on Nov 10, 2011 at 9:46 PM

My go-to fever reducer/pain med is ibuprofen, but I've been known to throw some Tylenol in there, too. My daughter isn't sick often, but I hope they figure this out. It would suck for this to be causational.

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NoR_CaL_MoMmY

on Nov 10, 2011 at 10:17 PM

My son had lots if eat infections so he had lots of tylenol as a little guy and he does get asthma symptoms when he gets a cold. A simple cold to others is so much harder on him. At 23 months ok'd we went to so cal to visit my sister in law and his asthma flared up so bad we had to take him to the local hospital for breathing treatments, which we've never had to do before. It was so sad :( So yes for us there seems to be a link.

on Nov 10, 2011 at 10:18 PM

*Of ear infections lol

Leelee1008

on Nov 10, 2011 at 10:33 PM

huh, interesting. I gave both my boys it and my middle son is the one with respatory issues, he gets bronchitis every year, he has asthma, while my oldest doesnt. my DD is to little still. I am asthmatic as well

Ondrya

on Nov 10, 2011 at 10:52 PM

My son had his first breathing issue at about 1, and periodically has to still use a nebulizar due to excessive coughing, but has yet to be diagnosed with asthma, that being said, my pediatrician told me the opposite, give Tylenol, not Advil as ibuprofen has been linked to asthma. Fortunatly he rarely needs either, but you gotta wonder.

Charizma77

on Nov 10, 2011 at 11:06 PM

interesting. Neither of my kids get sick all that often. I have given them tylenol on occasion. Niether one has asthma or breathing issues.

kkey75

on Nov 10, 2011 at 11:27 PM

No one in my family has ever had any asthma issues. I do tend to give more ibuprofen than Tylenol though. Mostly because it lasts so much longer and I don't have to give it to her as much. It just seems to work better for my DD.

LittleManMama

on Nov 11, 2011 at 9:18 AM

It's a correlation which does not prove cause and effect. More than likely it's the reason your child needs the tylenol that is the underlying cause of asthma: a weaker immune system or even the illnesses themselves. If your child needs Tylenol, give it. Let's use common sense people.