Acetaminophen and Asthma

Dr. Megan Stauffer • November 13, 2013

Pain Relief Precautions for Children with Asthma


No parents want their child to suffer. When your child is sick, especially with a fever, he or she can feel miserable, which in turn makes you feel miserable, too! Fever-reducing medications, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Motrin) have long been known to improve symptoms associated with infections. Pediatricians recommend, however, that these medications only be used if the fever is affecting the child's behavior (except in young infants) or if the fever is really high. The fever itself is not harmful and is in fact a way the immune system fights infection.



A study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology by Kang et al examined the association between acetaminophen exposure in the first year of life and the risk of developing asthma. The researchers found that preschool children (3-7 year olds) who used acetaminophen for more than three days during the first year of life, especially if they have a family history of asthma, were significantly more likely to have asthma. Similar results have been seen in other studies, but this study controlled for lung infections associated with an increased risk of asthma. At this point, these are only associations, and the results cannot clarify cause and effect. Also, it is unknown whether or not this risk remained as the children got older. More studies are needed to help clarify this risk, but the results are quite intriguing and would certainly lead me to recommend that those families with a history of asthma should limit the use of acetaminophen during the first  year of life.

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