Personal Injury Law

Giving babies Tylenol may blunt vaccines' effects

By Hurley, McKenna & Mertz

Marilynn Marchione reports on surprising new research that suggest, ?Giving babies Tylenol to prevent fever when they get childhood vaccinations may backfire and make the shots a little less effective? (AP for FinLaw, 10/16). The new research, which only studied the use of Tylenol to prevent fever, not its effect in reducing a fever, is the first substantial study about the potential link between the use of fever-reducing medicines and reduced immunity.

Although the research also suggests that the vast amount a children still received enough protection from the vaccines despite ingesting Tylenol, the ?results make a ?compelling case? against routinely giving Tylenol right after vaccination? Tylenol or its generic twin, acetaminophen, is widely recommended as a painkiller for babies. Many parents give it right before or after a shot to prevent fever and fussiness, and some doctors recommend this.?

Developing a fever after a vaccination is not necessarily a bad thing, as it is natural part of the body?s response to the vaccination. Some other researchers suggest that although ?there?s been speculation for a long time that the use of [fever reducers] might [have] an effect on antibody production after vaccination?this is far from proved [and] given that so few children develop high fevers after vaccinations, skipping the meds unless fever develops might be the way to go.?

As a personal injury lawyer, I am intrigued be the results of this study. Since the results suggest that there is little to no risk of holding off on giving children a fever reducing medicine until after a fever develops, parents may want to consider waiting to give their children Tylenol or other fever reducers. Further research should clarify the actual risk of ingesting Tylenol after a vaccination.

Full post as published by Chicago Medical Malpractice Lawyer Blog on October 26, 2009 (boomark / email).