Acetaminophen Use Linked to Asthma

It looks like acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be the cause of asthma in 40% of children. I hate to say “I told you so.” [Not really. Honestly, I love to say it.] I’m not claiming I knew acetaminophen caused asthma. But I am on record [reference available on request] as stating that fever is good for you and should not be treated with anti-pyretics, antibiotics, ice baths, cooling blankets or anything else.

Fever is a natural and useful response to illness. Research shows that cold blooded animals given febrile illnesses prefer warmer temperatures and those animals forced to maintain normal temperatures have higher mortality rates. It appears that suppressing fever in critically ill humans is equally detrimental.

Now that acetaminophen has been identified as being harmful, why don’t we stop giving it to febrile children [and adults] and stop trying to “treat” fever as if it were something evil?

PS: Don’t bring up febrile seizures. There is no evidence that giving acetaminophen or any other drug prevents febrile seizures.