The South Carolina Medical Association, the board of Eat Smart Move More SC, and Catherine Templeton, director of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, have all objected to the proposed exemption, suggesting that it sends the wrong message about the importance of childhood nutrition in the state. For the sake of those kids to the south of us, I’m hoping this is one proposal that doesn’t get the green light.
A real headache
What if attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become so common because it’s caused by something that has also become common, like smart phones, reality television, or cramped seating on airplanes? That was the thought that occurred to researchers at the University of Auckland, Australia, and what they discovered may make pregnancy even more uncomfortable than it already is: ADHD and other behavioral problems may stem from maternal use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. I suspect that once this news gets out, one of two things is going to happen: Either birth rates are going to fall, or we’re going to keep seeing an awful lot of ADHD.
The association, studied in 871 children at ages 7 and 11 years, wasn’t huge, suggesting about a doubling of the risk of ADHD in children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally. The findings, however, confirm what other studies had already suggested, and other drugs studied by the researchers didn’t show the same relationship. As handy as acetaminophen can be when you’re in pain, ADHD is one heck of a souvenir to take from the experience. And hey, if you really want a souvenir, I have a flowery tablecloth I’m not using.