According to this article, there is strong evidence from epidemiological studies that the use of paracetamol/acetaminophen by women in the later stages of pregnancy, and in children during their first year of life, may increase the risk of asthma, hayfever and eczema developing in later childhood.
The article further suggests that the use of this drug in late pregnancy and/or early childhood may also increase the risk for autism in susceptible individuals.
The relationship between paracetamol/acetaminophen and both asthma and autism appears to be dose- and frequency-dependent, so lighter or less frequent use of the drug would presumably incur less risk.
Indeed, paracetamol/acetaminophen is still recommended for children who have a high temperature, or are in obvious discomfort, because the use of aspirin is considered even more risky in young children, due to its link with Reye’s syndrome – a rare but serious disease that can lead to brain damage, liver failure and death.
Earlier research revealed that there is also a risk to adults who use paracetamol/acetaminoiphen, linking those individuals who take this drug weekly with a threefold increase in risk of developing asthma.
Unfortunately, there is no pain killing drug that is entirely without side effects or risks. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, are known to cause internal bleeding, both in the gut and the brain. And it has recently been revealed that many of the 40 million deaths previously attributed to the 1918 flu pandemic may actually have been due to the misuse of aspirin, which was inappropriately over-prescribed after heavy promotion by manufacturers.
For those who are willing to think beyond pharmaceuticals, there are a number of surprisingly effective alternatives for pain control. A simple Google search will reveal numerous articles on the topic, including one of the better articles on natural painkillers. The remedies recommended are readily available online, as well as from health food stores.
The Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), bizarre though they may appear initially to newcomers, are also remarkably effective as a treatment for pain, as this article on wisdom tooth pain demonstrates.
Whether or not asthma has developed as a result of paracetamol/acetaminophen use, this can usually be treated effectively using Helminthic Therapy, and there are even cases of autism responding well to this natural approach which is free from long-term side effects. For more details, see Helminthic Therapy for asthma or Helminthic Therapy for autism.
