Tylenol, Autism, oh my!

If you're in a neurodivergent relationship, you may have paid special attention to President Trump's recent news conference about Tylenol and Autism.  I wish to share an article from ADDitude that pulls together the medical community's responses to the announcement.  The article quotes numerous experts familiar with the work that has been done to explore this issue, including the head of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.  Please know that this post is not a political statement, but simply an easy-to-digest review of what is known by those with medical backgrounds about Acetominophen and Austism.  Briefly:

• The assertion that taking Tylenol causes Autism was false and misleading
• Associations in research (even weak ones, such as found in some of the studies on this topic - and not others) do not equal causation
• There is evidence that the weak associations found in some studies may be explained by the fact that women genetically more likely to carry babies who may be autistic may also be more likely to take Tylenol, since they have a higher rate of issues that might require taking the medication.
• The risk created by untreated fevers in pregnancy are known, so NOT taking Tylenol if you need it causes real concern, particularly in the first trimester.  Specifically, “Untreated fever, particularly in the first trimester, increases the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, and premature birth; untreated pain can lead to maternal depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure,” the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) said in a statement.