A recent paper in the Lancet reports an association between the use of paracetamol (acetaminophen) in infants and the reporting of atopic symptoms at the age of 6-7 years.
The paper by Prof. Beasley (Medical Research Institute of New Zealand) administered questionnaires to the parents of over 200,000 children. The study found that children given paracetamol in the first year of life had a increased risk of asthma symptoms, as well as symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis and eczema. This study does not demonstrate causality as paracetamol use may be a marker for other possible links to atopy such as infections or lifestyle choices.
