Paracetamol for kids under 15 months ‘doubles their risk of asthma’

MELBOURNE - A new study has revealed that paracetamol use in children aged under 15 months can double their chances of getting asthma.

Researchers at University of Otago Wellington conducted the study amongst 1400 children and found that by age six, 95 per cent of children were using paracetamol, significantly increasing the risk of asthma and wheeze.

It found a dose-response affect, so the more regularly a child was using paracetamol the greater the risk appeared to be.

The study’s author, Professor Julian Crane, said he was unable to determine how much paracetamol a child would have to take before becoming more suspectable to asthma or allergies.

“It’s difficult to say, it’s over a period rather than any absolute (amount). But we did find a sort of dose-response affect, so the more regularly a child was using it the greater the risk appeared to be,” the Courier Mail quoted him as saying.

However, it was not a case of taking the medication once and immediately become more susceptible, he said.

“It’s clearly more subtle, you don’t take it and suddenly get wheezy.

(But) the results at this stage are supportive of a role for paracetamol in asthma and allergic disease.” (ANI)