Exposure to Acetaminophen (Tylenol) In the Womb and Heavy Metals, Significantly Increasing Autism Risk

Nationwide, 1 in 36 children struggles with autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder in which the child experiences difficulties with social interaction and repetitive or restricted patterns of thought and behavior. While there are many risk factors for autism, including older parental age at the time of conception, two more obscure contributors are exposure to acetaminophen in the womb and ingesting toxic baby food. 

A recent study found that children exposed to acetaminophen before birth had a 19% higher risk of developing autism. This medication, which is meant to relieve pain and reduce fever, is mostly sold under the brand name Tylenol. Furthermore, in the winter of 2021, a congressional report exposed four popular baby food manufacturers for allowing dangerous arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury levels in their products. Because these heavy metals are neurotoxic, they also contribute to the development of autism.

To understand how serious the issue of heavy metals in baby food is, let these findings of the congressional investigation sink in:

• the raw ingredients of Beech-Nut, one of the oldest baby food manufacturers in the country, were found to contain over 913 ppb arsenic, while the safe exposure limit is only 10 ppt
• the raw ingredients of Hain Celestial Group, which sells baby food under the name Earth's Best Organic, had a cadmium level of 260 ppb when the safe exposure limit is just 5 ppb
• the raw ingredients of Nurture, which produces baby food under the brand HappyBABY, were found to contain 641 ppb lead, while the safe exposure limit is also 5 ppb

Initially, the investigators asked seven baby food companies to share their internal documents and have their raw ingredients tested, but Walmart, Sprout Organic Foods, and Campbell refused to participate. This could mean that their baby food is even more contaminated than that of their competitors. In addition to autism, exposure to such high toxic metal levels can result in permanent decreases in IQ, lower future economic productivity, and a higher risk of future criminal and antisocial behavior, according to the report.

Similarly to heavy metals, acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, can induce direct neurotoxicity when present in high concentrations in the body. It is important to note that only pregnant women who take acetaminophen regularly and in high doses are at risk of giving birth to a child with autism, as low concentrations of the drug were not found to be dangerous. Neurotoxicity occurs when a person is exposed to substances that alter the normal activity of the nervous system, including the brain. It can eventually disrupt or even kill neurons, which may lead to autism and other similar disorders.

How to Avoid Feeding Your Child Toxic Baby Food

Fortunately, you can reduce the heavy metal content in your child's diet in many simple ways. These are four easy tips on how to make sure your infant or toddler eats the most nourishing and safest food available.

1. Breastfeed Your Baby for as Long as You Can

Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your baby is to breastfeed for as long as possible. Not only will breastfeeding delay their need for commercial baby food, but it will also bring about numerous health benefits. Children who are breastfed have a lower risk of asthma, diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome, obesity, lung infections, stomach bugs, and ear infections. Moreover, you will also experience health benefits, as breastfeeding will reduce your risk of breast cancer, high blood pressure, and ovarian cancer.

2. Choose Natural Alternatives to Commercial Baby Food

You can replace store baby food with the following natural alternatives, which are suggested by the non-profit organization Healthy Babies Bright Futures:

• replace rice snacks with rice-free snacks to reduce the heavy metal content by 93%
• replace fruit juice with plain water to lower the heavy metal content by 68%
• replace teething biscuits with a cold banana to reduce the heavy metal content by 91%
• replace sweet potatoes with other fresh produce to lower the heavy metal content by 73%

3. Feed Your Child Rice as Rarely as Possible

Because rice can absorb up to 20 times more arsenic than other crops, it should be present in your child's diet as rarely as possible. When you do cook it, you should use plenty of water that you should drain off when the meal is ready. This way, some of the arsenic will be eliminated. Two better alternatives to white rice are basmati and sushi rice, as they contain less arsenic.

4. Choose the Fish You Give Your Baby Carefully

Some fish are very high in mercury, which is why you should opt for anchovies, salmon, pollock, flounder, plaice, catfish, or haddock. The fish you should avoid include swordfish, fresh tuna, marlin, king mackerel, and tilefish. 

Are you still unsure about what food you should feed your child? If so, by virtue of the Toxic Baby Food Replacement Initiative, you can now choose baby food manufactured by ethical companies that regularly test for heavy metals and other harmful contaminants in their products. All you have to do is fill out the form at the bottom of the page, and someone will get in touch with you shortly.

As for Tylenol, some of the available medications you can use as viable alternatives are ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen. Nevertheless, it is always best to consult with your doctor before taking any of these drugs while pregnant.

About the Author

Jonathan Sharp is Chief Financial Officer at Environmental Litigation Group, P.C. The law firm, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, offers assistance to parents whose children developed autism due to consuming toxic baby food and in-utero acetaminophen exposure. Jonathan Sharp is responsible for the management of firm assets, case evaluation, and financial analysis.