Study: Acetaminophen Increases Risk of Asthma

Could there be a link between a common pain medication and asthma in children? New research says that may be the case when it comes to acetaminophen products, like Tylenol.

In years past, doctors recommended replacing aspirin with things like Tylenol to reduce pain and fevers in children, but asthma diagnoses started increasing significantly at around the same time. That's why researchers began looking into a possible link.

For 10-year-old Calonna Creighton, living with asthma is a daily challenge -- especially at the gym.

"Everyone is having fun ahead of you," she said. "When you slow down, you don't want to be left alone because there is nobody else to talk to."

The girl's mother told FOX 9 News she would have given anything to prevent her daughter's condition, and would have stopped giving the girl acetaminophen as a child.

"It's kind of scary when you think about it, because we always gave our children Tylenol," Sarah Creighton said.

Four years after Calonna's diagnosis, more than 20 studies support the theory that the common pain killer increases the risk of asthma, but Dr. Richard Sveum, of Park Nicollet, says the theory is just that.

"It's close to fear-mongering because we raise the fear, 'You should do this,' or "shouldn't do that,'" he said.

Sveum is the chairman for helping to set asthma guidelines in Minnesota, and he said more information is still needed.

"My recommendation is that it's okay to give Tylenol right now until we get more information in hand," he said. "Clearly, everyone that gets Tylenol does not get asthma."

Still, the study has parents at the Park Nicollet pharmacy talking. For those who are looking for an alternative, there is ibuprofen, but doctors warn that drug can cause asthma to be exacerbated in some patients.