• Original Articles By Dr. Lavin Featuring Expert Advice & Information about Pediatric Health Issues that you Care the Most About

    Now Tylenol, Pregnancy, and ADHD

    Now Tylenol, Pregnancy, and ADHD

    As followers of our postings know, acetaminophen, the active drug in Tylenol, has been associated with increased risk of asthma developing in childhood.  This is why we recommend the use of ibuprofen for pain and fever control in children.
    Now this spring, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Pediatrics, published a very intriguing study of the risk of being hyperactive, using ADHD medication, or having ADHD behaviors,  at age 7 years old- each in relation to whether the mother used acetaminophen during that child’s pregnancy.
    The results were rather interesting.  The study looked at 64,000 Danish children and their mothers during 1996-2002.
    About half the mothers used acetaminophen during pregnancy.   
    If a mother used acetaminophen during pregnancy, the risk of her child having each of the three outcomes by age 7 years old went up as follows:
    • For being hyperactive the risk went up 37%
    • For taking ADHD medications the risk went up 29%
    • For having ADHD behaviors the risk went up 13%
    If the use of acetaminophen was during more than one trimester the risks were even higher.
    The higher the dosage of acetaminophen used, the higher the risk for each outcome.
    JAMA Pediatr: 2014; 168 (4): 313-320.  doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.4914
    BOTTOM LINE
    This study does not prove that taking acetaminophen during pregnancy can cause a child to have ADHD or hyperactivity.

    But, it does relate the two, and until further study is conducted we would extend our recommendation to avoid exposing your child to acetaminophen to pregnancy.

    Dr. Arthur Lavin

    *Disclaimer* The comments contained in this electronic source of information do not constitute and are not designed to imply that they constitute any form of individual medical advice. The information provided is purely for informational purposes only and not relevant to any person’s particular medical condition or situation. If you have any medical concerns about yourself or your family please contact your physician immediately. In order to provide our patients the best uninfluenced information that science has to offer,we do not accept samples of drugs, advertising tchotchkes, money, food, or any item from outside vendors.

    2 Responses to Now Tylenol, Pregnancy, and ADHD

    1. Jen in TX June 13, 2014 at 5:32 pm #

      Brandlistuen et al also showed "substantially adverse developmental outcomes" with >28 days of acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy. http://bit.ly/1eG2K9u

    2. Anonymous October 2, 2014 at 10:52 pm #

      It is also insufficiently well known IMO that many things, including alcohol and other drugs, can deplete glutathione stores in the liver, and once that happens, acetaminophen becomes acutely toxic, being responsible for large numbers of accidental deaths as well as liver transplants. I understand some countries have considered restricting the sale of acetaminophen unless bound with acetylcysteine or some other glutathione precursor, but this would come with problems of its own such as common anaphylactic reactions in some people. Our family will NOT use it for any purpose, period, unless prescribed by a doctor. I'm reluctant even then. Fulminant hepatic failure just doesn't rank all that high on my list of preferred ways to kick the bucket.

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