Your letters to the editor as submitted for Oct. 19, 2025:
Aetaminophen remains safe and medically important
Recently, federal health authorities created fear and confusion about use of acetaminophen, a common pain relief medicine, during pregnancy. As an ob-gyn, a physician who provides care during pregnancy, I want to clarify that acetaminophen remains safe and medically important.
When women are pregnant, they encounter the same problems as anyone else, including pain, headaches, and fevers. But during pregnancy, things are different: fevers can be incredibly dangerous, potentially causing birth defects or even pregnancy loss. Headaches can be a sign of preeclampsia, a potentially fatal condition, so it's important to see if an over-the-counter medicine can provide relief, ruling out preeclampsia if so. However, most pain relievers and fever reducers are not safe to use during pregnancy.
That's where acetaminophen, also known by the brand name Tylenol, is used. Decades of research has shown that it does not pose a risk to the fetus, and it is effective at managing pain and reducing fevers.
Recently, one of my patients got a typical virus from her toddler. This led to body aches and fever that topped 102 degrees. Acetaminophen helped to bring her fever down. If her temperature had remained elevated or even climbed higher, this could have caused worse outcomes for the fetus.
Unfortunately, in the announcement warning people against taking acetaminophen, government officials pointed to studies they claim suggested that acetaminophen plays a role in causing autism. But those studies were not well conducted and did not prove a link to autism. Other well-designed studies came to strong conclusions that acetaminophen does not cause autism. One such study looked at nearly 200,000 children and concluded outright that acetaminophen did not cause autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.
My concern is that my patients are hearing the government warnings and believing that, by taking acetaminophen, they are doing something wrong. In fact, following the government's recommendations to "tough it out" without medical intervention could actually expose their fetus to the harms that they are trying to avoid.
As a doctor, I've cared for many women throughout their pregnancies. I know that they do all they can to give their children a foundation for a long, happy life.
I have had patients whose children later got diagnosed with autism and had not taken acetaminophen in pregnancy. And for those who had had, this announcement from the government could cruelly and unfairly lead to an unnecessary guilt that they did something wrong.
I would like to reassure pregnant women that they do not need to suffer through pain or fevers. In fact, doing so could cause harm. If you need relief, call your doctor and get medical advice that's based on good scientific evidence.
- Amanda Kappenman, Sioux Falls
Common sense shouldn't be a casualty of politics
When Congress can't pass a budget, it's not the politicians who feel it. It's families, smallbusiness owners, farmers, and neighbors across South Dakota. Meanwhile, veterans andseniors are left wondering if anyone in Washington remembers who they work for or who putthem there.This isn't the first time we've been here. Back in March, Congress had a chance to lead. Theycould have made tough choices and passed a budget that worked for people. Instead, theydelayed again. Now we're stuck in the same situation, watching another self-made crisis unfoldbecause too many career politicians would rather chase headlines than solutions.Budgets aren't about politics. They're about priorities. I don't know about you, but whensomething needs to get done, we don't wait until it's convenient. We get to work. We don't shutdown when things get hard. We dig in, because someone or something is counting on us. That'swhat leadership should look like in Washington too.I spent nearly the entire summer fighting to protect and restore millions in funding for afterschooland summer programs across the country. I've seen what that support means for workingfamilies and for kids who just need a safe place to learn and grow. That's what goodgovernment looks like. It invests in people and gives communities like Murdo, Rosebud, BellFourche and Sioux Falls the tools they need to thrive. That's the trickle down effect we all want.South Dakotans don't back down from hard work, and neither do I. If you find yourself frustratedand wondering what to do, start by finding your voice and putting it into action. That might meanshowing up at a peaceful protest, writing a strongly worded but respectful letter to yourdelegation, or maybe your voice is volunteering at a local organization or school because youwant a hand in creating the world you want to live in. Everyone can take one step forward, nomatter how big or small.It's time to bring simplicity back to Washington and make sure our government works as hard asthe people it serves. Let's roll up our sleeves, always lead with people first, and get DC back towork for South Dakota.- Billy Mawhiney, candidate for U.S. House, South Dakota
Only time will tell the next three years
The Good News for some is that our president has 3 more years to serve. The Bad news for some is that our president has 3 more years to serve. It is amazing that one man could gain so mush knowledge since his last term. Someone or some other group must be pulling his strings. He apparently is pulling the strings of his Cabinet members, some of which have no idea what their functions are. All the Republicans in office now back him up regardless of the fact if it is True, Morally right or Ethically Right. I am sure a lot of republican voters feel the pain of those InCharge.
Finally, all his appointees are in office till his term expires. They will have to return to their home states. The same will apply to those legislators being termed out. Only time will tell what will occur.
- Martin Blath, Jr., Dell Rapids, SD
Congress should have work requirements for healthcare, too.
House leader Mike Johnson has given Congress over 70 paid days (so far). He isn't willing to work with democrats to protect health care, refuses to swear in the new representative from Arizona and won't release the Epstein files (there must REALLY be something in those files because they are sure fighting hard to keep them from the public!)Maybe we need a work requirement for Congress before they can get health care! Better yet perhaps they should have to buy their health care off the exchange like so many Americans so they would prioritize affordable health care instead of giving tax cuts to billionaires, 20 billion to Argentina, building a 200 million ballroom or spend 5 million each time Trump goes golfing.Contact your leaders - we deserve a Congress that is willing to work for us!
-Sheryl Johnson, Sioux Falls
An unthinkable funding cut to SD's most destitute children
A terrible mistake was made by cutting the support for SD's most destitute children.
The unprecedented, unnecessary, harmful cut came outside the normal process for state budgeting. Long after the legislature ended with sufficient funding for these children, a surprise showed up this summer in the public notices: TANF payments were being cut 10%. TANF is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a federal-state program for children in desperate need.
For sure Congress has now increased the financial burdens on states, as our Governor acknowledges. But the TANF cut as the immediate and first response is surely a mistake. Congress did not cut TANF. And nothing else in all of our state government received this 10% cut, only the children's TANF payments.
Another excuse for the cut was a claim that the state is paying more state match than required to get the federal TANF block grant. However, the state has always qualified by providing the right amount of children's services. It was only made to seem in excess when someone decided to move an education program over to Social Services in order to use TANF funds to pay for it. That was a mistake. Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG) is a very good educational program. It can and should be moved back to the Education Dept. and funded there as usual, not by taking money from our poorest children.
The cut, saving the state less than $1.5 million, was allowed by Rules Committee one day after $63 million left over from last year's appropriations was added to the state's reserves. The TANF cut money won't make much difference in the state budget, but in families surviving on so little, the $51-a-month average loss is huge.
Cutting TANF payments has been unthinkable! Nobody does that! I believe South Dakotans want to help vulnerable children get through very hard times. We don't want our poorest children to have to pay for the functions of state government. With TANF, we wrap our arms around them when they need us most. The payments should be increased to be more adequate and adjusted annually for inflation.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, "The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members."
-Cathy Brechtelsbauer, Sioux Falls
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