In April of 2021 in this Newsletter I warned that the use of acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol, by pregnant women and babies, might cause autism and ADHD. Go here to read that article.
Six months after I issued my warning, a Consensus Statement, with the same warning about acetaminophen was issued. It was signed by 91 scientists, clinicians and public health professionals. (Nat Rev Endocrinol17, 757–766 (2021))
Please remember, this danger is not yet proven. All we know for sure, is that kids have 3 or 4 times as much autism (and ADHD) if they are exposed to acetaminophen in the womb or as young children. Because we can't experiment on human babies, we will probably never be able to prove or disprove this risk. We can only recognize the much higher rate of autism and ADHD in children exposed to acetaminophen, and decide what we want to do about it.
In Fact, Some Doctors are Ignoring This Risk.
For example, The Prescribers Letter suggests ignoring the Consensus Statement. A summary of their reasoning is:
we all know acetaminophen is safe,
and a Consensus Statement is just the opinion of a committee, and not real proof, so just ignore it.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' takes a similar point of view. Their official response can be summarized as:
since we've always recommended Tylenol, it must be safe.
But Other Doctors are Taking This Risk Seriously.
The Autism Journal has published multiple studies showing the connection between acetaminophen and autism as early as 2008.
The Behavioral Science journal concluded that acetaminophen consumption before the age of 2 was a "significant contributor to the risk of autism spectrum disorder among males in the US."
JAMA Psychiatry published a study in 2019 showing babies with the highest acetaminophen exposure had a 286% higher risk of ADHD and a 362% higher risk of autism or autism spectrum disorder.
Yale really is part of the establishment and they are concerned about this risk. One of the head scientists signing the Consensus Statement is from the Yale School of Public Health. Yale has also published other papers in recent years that raises questions about acetaminophen's safety.
Because the Experts Disagree,
You Have to Make a Decision on Your Own.
What ever decision you make there are experts on your side. But one side has to be wrong. Hence you have 2 choices and either one could be wrong:
You can err on the side of caution and avoid acetaminophen/Tylenol, and at some point you might find out it was just a false scare. No problem, Tylenol is not a lifesaving drug, so you probably weren't harmed by not using it.
OR
You can ignore this warning about acetaminophen/Tylenol and you might end up with a child with ADHD or autism, that could have been prevented.
As is Often the Case, Parents Have to Make This Decision,
With No Guarantee of Being Right.
Please Answer These Questions in the Comments.
If you are a female of childbearing age, has your doctor shared this information with you, to allow you to make your own informed decision? Please let me know in the Comments if your medical provider has alerted you to this potential danger.
If you have young children in your home, has your doctor shared this concern with you, to allow you to make your own informed decision? Have you heard about this from your doctor?
I'm proud that my readers were alerted to this potential danger 6 months before the Consensus Statement was issued. But is this the right thing to do? Is it right to bring up potential dangers before they are fully proven and accepted by everybody? Or is it better for the public to kept in the dark until all the experts are in agreement? Please let me know in the Comments.
Last question. Are you interested in learning about some alternatives to acetaminophen? if so please me know in the comments. If there is interest, I could do a future Newsletter devoted to the topic.
Take care and BE HEALTHY!
CW Jasper
October 2022
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