London - Fears that babies given Calpol and other forms of paracetamol are more likely to develop asthma may be exaggerated, say scientists.
Previous studies have claimed that exposure to the drug – in the womb or during early months of life – leads to a greater chance of developing the condition.
But new findings suggest the evidence is not strong enough to warrant warnings about restricting use – and that respiratory infections may have a key role.
According to the review published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, the link between paracetamol and childhood asthma has been “overstated”.
They say researchers from Melbourne University examined 11 previous studies on the subject, spanning from 1967 to 2013.
There were widely varying conclusions among the studies looking at paracetamol exposure in the womb, while those looking at exposure in the first two years of life showed a possible connection with asthma.
However the link became considerably weaker once respiratory infections were accounted for. This makes “it unlikely that paracetamol is a clinically important risk factor for asthma”, the researchers said.
It could be that children with more severe respiratory infections – who are also at greater risk of asthma – may have been given more medicine as a result.
The findings were welcomed by charity Asthma UK, who said it would “reassure” parents.
However Seif Shaheen, a respiratory professor at Queen Mary University of London, said there would still be “nothing lost” in advising parents to limit use. - Daily Mail