Georgia Personal Injury Attorneys Say Study Suggests Risks Associated with Expectant Moms Taking Tylenol®
Our Georgia personal injury attorneys at Montlick and Associates have previously written about the risk of liver damage associated with overdoses of acetaminophen. Whether acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol®, is consumed in an over-the-counter or prescription medication, excessive doses of the drug constitute the leading cause of sudden liver failure in the U.S. according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that acetaminophen overdoses force up to 80,000 people per year to visit hospital emergency rooms across the nation. While there are dozens upon dozens of lawsuits pending against Johnson & Johnson alleging liver damage caused by users inadvertently taking excessive doses of the drug, a recent report suggests a new hazard for expectant mothers linked to the use of Tylenol®.
The new study conducted by researchers at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Oslo in Norway indicates that frequent use of Tylenol® by pregnant women may be linked to a higher risk of children with behavioral issues and diminished language skills. The study analyzed medication use by moms of 48,000 kids between the 17th and 30th weeks of pregnancy and once the kids were six months old. Moms of the kids in the study also were asked to participate in a follow-up covering their child's development once the kids reached the age of three.
The results of the research indicated that the children of 4 percent of women in the study who took Tylenol at least 28 times exhibited deficiencies in verbal skills, motor functions, and mobility. These kids also started walking later and tended to have more behavior problems. The authors of the study emphasized that the risk appears to be connected to long-term use of the medication which included heavy users of Tylenol® that ingested the medication for seven consecutive days several times during their pregnancy. This type of long-term use of the drug resulted in a seventy percent increase in children exhibiting behavior issues by the time they had reached age three.
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While the researchers concede that more research is necessary to confirm a potential link between these developmental and behavioral problems involving children, expectant moms might want to discuss the issue with their physician and exercise caution. If your child suffers injuries that might be the result of drug side effects, our Georgia personal injury lawyers at Montlick and Associates have been representing injury victims for over thirty years throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.