Acetaminophen in children An old drug with new warnings

1. Ran D. Goldman, MD FRCPC⇑

1. Correspondence: Dr Ran D. Goldman, BC Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Room K4-226, Ambulatory Care Bldg, 4480 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3V4; telephone 604 875 2345, extension 7333; fax 604 875-2414; e-mailrgoldman@cw.bc.ca

 

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Abstract

Question I frequently suggest to parents to use acetaminophen to treat their children’s fever and pain. Recently, I had a child in my office who presented with a target-lesion skin rash a day after receiving acetaminophen. The rash resolved after 3 days and after stopping administration of acetaminophen. Does acetaminophen carry a risk of adverse events such as this?

Answer Like any other medication or active substance, acetaminophen preparations might carry a risk of adverse events. In recent years a potential association between acetaminophen and asthma was investigated, and the US Food and Drug Administration recently published a warning about potential severe but rare skin reactions associated with acetaminophen. Although acetaminophen is mostly a safe medication, health care providers should be alert and advise parents about the possibility of rare but severe adverse events.

This Article

1. Canadian Family PhysicianOctober 2013 vol. 59 no. 10 1065-1066

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