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www.FredericksburgParent.NET 17 Apples to Apples To ensure their study accounted for genetics and, thus, was comparing apples to apples, Lee and his coauthors "looked at siblings born to the same mother," he said, where "one sibling was exposed and the other sibling was unexposed." Under these conditions, Lee said, "the apparent risk com- pletely flatlined and disappeared. In other words, there was no increase in risk of autism or ADHD associated with acetamino- phen use. And what that told us was that familial confounding factors such as maternal genetics were likely explaining the apparent statistical association." What about Leucovorin? Prior to the White House's statements about acetaminophen, the Food and Drug Administration published a notice to the Federal Register approving a form of Leucovorin as a pos- sible treatment for autism, according to a piece published by Reuters. Lee was asked about this and responded that it's "premature." The drug, according to the Mayo Clinic, "acts the same way in the body as folic acid" and is currently used to offset the "harmful effects of methotrexate (a cancer medicine)." Lee stated that folic acid "affects neurodevelopment." The challenge with "promoting Leucovorin at this time is that the existing evidence" for the drug alleviating symptoms associ- ated with autism "is remarkably premature. There's only been a handful of very small studies which have some methodological issues. … In short, more research is needed." Stand-alone Study? Research exploring links between acetaminophen and autism are still fairly new. According to Lee, the studies tend to fall into two large camps. Studies that engage in "sibling control analysis," as Lee's and others' have done, are showing an emerging "consensus … that for the studies that are actually controlling for genetics and familial confounding, those studies are not supporting that a causal association exists between acetaminophen use and autism." On the other hand, Lee said, "the sort of apples to oranges studies just looking at folks who use [acetaminophen] ver- sus folks who don't use," Lee said, "they're finding the small increase in risk." Talk with Your Physician As with any treatment, patients need to talk with their physician about the best treatment course for them. Lee noted, for example, that "fevers are a known quantity as far as potential adverse effects" on a developing fetus. "Certainly the evi- dence base for fevers being harmful," he continued, "is a lot stronger in my opinion, than for acetaminophen being harmful. At least at recom- mended doses." However, he also stressed that he is not a clinician and that "this is one of those areas where you should talk to your doctor." Tylenol and Autism: What Moms Should Know WHY THIS IS IN THE NEWS The White House recently suggested Tylenol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy might be linked to autism. That raised a lot of questions for moms. WHAT DOCTORS SAY • The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine says Tylenol has not been proven to cause autism. • A study of 2.4 million children in Sweden found no added risk when researchers compared brothers and sisters — one exposed to Tylenol in the womb, the other not. APPLES TO ORANGES VS. APPLES TO APPLES • Moms who take Tylenol are often already sick, which can affect outcomes. • Autism also has strong genetic roots. Looking at sib- lings (apples to apples) shows Tylenol isn't causing autism. OTHER TREATMENTS? A drug called Leucovorin has gotten attention, but experts say it's too early to know if it helps. BOTTOM LINE FOR MOMS • Fevers can harm a developing baby. Tylenol is one of the safest ways to bring down a fever. • Always follow your doctor's advice for medication dur- ing pregnancy. • Don't rely on headlines or social media for medical decisions. Author Biography: Martin Davis Martin Davis is the editor of the FXBG Advance, where he focuses on bringing clarity, context, and depth to complex issues that shape the Fredericksburg region and beyond. With a background in faith, culture, and public policy reporting, Davis has spent more than two decades helping readers cut through noise and understand the stories that matter most. His work blends careful research with accessible storytelling, always grounded in accuracy and fairness. About the FXBG Advance The FXBG Advance is Fredericksburg Parent and Family Magazine's sister publication, created to deliver deep, trustworthy, and analytical local jour- nalism. While Fred Parent equips families with resources for day-to-day living, the Advance digs into the region's most pressing civic, cultural, and policy issues — giving readers thoughtful reporting they can rely on. From unpacking complicated research to analyzing local decision-making, the Advance works to ensure the Fredericksburg community has access to journalism that is clear, independent, and rooted in facts.

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