The Tylenol-Autism Debate: Safe Then, Scary Now – Chicago Parent Weighs In

Tylenol and Autism: A Parent’s Fearful Question

I was born in 1980, so my childhood was filled with Smurfs and video games, WWF and metal band posters plastered on my bedroom walls,  and I sported a mullet that could stop a truck.

Back then, no one thought twice about popping a Tylenol—heck, it was sitting right there in mom’s purse next to the Aqua Net.  We very nearly ate them without a second thought.

Fast forward to today, I’m a parent in Chicago, raising kids in a world where we second-guess everything. And now, there’s chatter—serious chatter—that taking Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy could be linked to autism or ADHD in children. I’m horrified!

The basis of this whole Tylenol-autism link is rooted in observational studies. Researchers have found patterns showing that kids whose moms used acetaminophen frequently while pregnant were more likely to be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or attention issues later in life (Avella-Garcia et al., 2016; Ji et al., 2020). Scientists think it might have to do with acetaminophen messing with fetal brain development by affecting hormones, oxidative stress, or even immune function. When I hear that, I flash back to my childhood—how parents back then trusted medicine like they trusted Saturday morning cartoons. Safe, dependable, unquestioned.

And now? Parents like me are left wondering if something so common—something that felt as harmless as sugar—could carry hidden dangers and was actually more like Sweet-n-Low. It makes my stomach drop. Every time my wife had a headache during pregnancy, every fever, every time the doctor said, “Just take Tylenol, it’s safe”—I now feel this punch of guilt, like we were playing Russian roulette with our kid’s brain. The thought that something as ordinary as Tylenol could be linked to lifelong challenges feels like finding out your favorite childhood toy was made of lead paint. It breaks you.

But Not Everyone Agrees

Now, before I go tossing every bottle of Tylenol into the Chicago River, I’ve got to be fair: plenty of experts push back on this connection. They say the evidence isn’t strong enough. Most of the studies are observational, meaning they show associations but can’t prove Tylenol caused autism. Maybe moms who needed more Tylenol had other health issues—like infections, stress, or pain—that themselves could increase the risk of autism (Liew et al., 2016). And when researchers dig deeper, results can be inconsistent. Some big reviews conclude that while there’s “reason for concern,” the evidence just isn’t conclusive yet (National Institutes of Health, 2021).

Doctors also remind us that untreated fever or severe pain in pregnancy can be dangerous for both mom and baby. So, the alternative isn’t risk-free either. The conversation gets tangled: is it safer to take Tylenol and worry about autism later, or skip it and risk pregnancy complications in the moment?

Conclusion

As a parent, I feel torn in two. The ‘80s kid in me wants to trust the bottle in the cabinet, the same way I trusted those fluorescent Trapper Keepers to hold all my school work. But will this turn out like that:  only to find that Trapper Keepers open while carrying in a book bag and make a disorganized non-chronological mess of my notes and returned homework assignments?

But the parent in me now, raising a child in today’s Chicago, can’t ignore the studies, the questions, the gnawing “what ifs.” Maybe someday science will settle this once and for all. Until then, we’re left in this limbo, trying to make the best choices for our kids with the information we’ve got. What do you do? I have no idea. Sorry.

Citations:

• Avella-Garcia, C. B., et al. (2016). International Journal of Epidemiology.

• Ji, Y., et al. (2020). JAMA Psychiatry.

• Liew, Z., et al. (2016). JAMA Pediatrics.

• National Institutes of Health. (2021). Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Child Outcomes.