Researchers in more than 30 countries studied more than 200,000 children. Children who had received acetaminophen for fever during the first year of life were found to have an increased risk of asthma at 6 to 7 years of age. These children also had higher rates of allergic rhinitis and eczema compared to children who had not received acetaminophen during infancy. The use of acetaminophen later in childhood also seemed to increase the risk of asthma in the 6- and- 7-year-old children.
It is not known why the use of acetaminophen in infants and young children increased the risk of various allergic diseases, but it is interesting that this was true over a wide range of countries with different cultures. Speak with your child’s doctor if you are concerned about the use of acetaminophen, as the use of other over-the-counter medications for pain and fever may carry their own risks.
Learn more about the prevention of allergic diseases in children.
Source:
Beasley R, et al. Association Between Paracetamol Use in Infancy and Childhood, and the Risk of Asthma, Rhinoconjunctivitis, and Eczema in Children Aged 6-7 Years: Analysis From Phase Three of the ISAAC Programme. Lancet. 2008; 372:1039-48.
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