Drug Injury Lawyers Blog
According to a new study, the children of moms who took acetaminophen while pregnant may have a 40% greater risk of being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than kids whose moms didn’t take the drug. Acetaminophen is found in Panadol, Tylenol, Excedrin, Midol, NyQuil, Alka Seltzer Plus Cold Medicine, and Theraflu. The findings were reported this month in the JAMA Pediatrics journal.
While a cause-effect link between Tylenol (and other meds with acetaminophen) and ADHD has been identified, it is not confirmed. That said, the findings should be noted and serve as a warning to pregnant moms to take the drug conservatively if at all. It is also a good idea for expectant mothers to consult with their doctors about taking any medication with acetaminophen. Injury from Tylenol can be reason for a Massachusetts drug defect lawsuit.
Acetaminophen also lowers fever, which his why a pregnant woman may take Tylenol. Infection and fever can be dangerous for the fetus. It is an endocrine disrupter that has been linked to undescended testes in baby boys. The authors of the study say there is a chance that acetaminophen may interrupt the development of the brain.
The study included over 64,000 mothers and kids from Denmark. Researchers followed the pediatric subjects beginning from their first trimester in utero for up to 15 years. While the study doesn’t prove that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen is the cause of what has been a noted increase in hyperactivity disorder diagnoses, emotional problems in kids, or ADHD medication prescriptions, researchers did say that the probability that a child might develop symptoms of ADHD serious enough to warrant medication was at it’s highest- 63%-when their moms took the drug during her last two trimesters of pregnancy. They reported a 28% rise when acetaminophen was used only during the third trimester. There was a 9% risk when a pregnant mom took the drug during her first trimester.
At Altman & Altman LLP, our Boston drug defect lawyers represent the families of children that got sick or sustained injury or died from taking a dangerous medication. Unfortunately, some injuries, birth defects, and other conditions have occurred to children because their moms took a defective/dangerous med while pregnant.
Tylenol also has been linked to liver damage. By Mid-last year, over 180 drug defect cases were filed by plaintiffs pursuing damages from Johnson & Johnson. They are accusing the manufacturer of failing to warn about the liver injury risk associated with the popular medication. According to the Food and Drug Administration, about 800 acetaminophen-linked liver injuries happen annually, including liver failure and liver damage.
Please contact our Boston, MA Tylenol injury law firm today.
Could Tylenol In Pregnancy Be Linked To ADHD In Children?, Forbes, February 24, 2014
Tylenol use during pregnancy linked to ADHD in kids, study finds, LA Times, February 24, 2014
What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, National Institute of Mental Health
JAMA Pediatrics
More Blog Posts:
Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Must Pay $11M & $4M in Topamax Birth Injury Cases, Massachusetts Drug Injury Lawyers Blog, November 25, 2013
Drug Injury Lawsuits Blame Johnson & Johnson’s Tylenol for Liver Damage, Massachusetts Drug Injury Lawyers Blog, June 13, 2013
Graco Recalls Nearly 4M Child Car Seats, Boston Injury Lawyer Blog, February 20, 2014
