Prevention is key when dealing with Reye's syndrome

Aspirin is a staple in many medicine cabinets. But if you have children, this common medication is a potentially dangerous drug. Aspirin has been linked with Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious condition that can affect children and teenagers recovering from a viral infection.

Although Reye’s syndrome is considered to be primarily a children’s disease, it can occur at any age. It affects all organs of the body but is most harmful to the brain and the liver—causing an acute increase of pressure within the brain and often massive accumulations of fat in the liver and other organs. Reye’s syndrome generally occurs during recovery from a viral infection such as the flu or chicken pox, although it can also develop in the days following the onset of the viral illness. While the cause of Reye’s syndrome remains a mystery, it seems to be triggered by using aspirin to treat a viral illness or infection.

Early diagnosis and treatment of Reye’s syndrome can save a child’s life. If you suspect that your child has Reye’s syndrome, it’s important to act quickly. Contact your child’s doctor if your child has persistent or recurrent vomiting, becomes unusually sleepy or lethargic or has sudden behavior changes following a common cold or a bout with the flu or chicken pox. Seek emergency medical help if your child has seizures or convulsions or loses consciousness.

There is no cure for Reye’s syndrome. Treatment is primarily aimed at stopping further damage to the brain and liver, and preventing further complications. Recovery from Reye’s syndrome is directly related to how severely the brain swells.  Some people recover completely, while others may suffer varying degrees of brain damage. Statistics indicate that when Reye’s syndrome is diagnosed and treated in its early stages, chances of recovery are excellent. When diagnosis and treatment are delayed, however, the chances for successful recovery and survival are severely reduced. 

As with many illnesses, prevention is key.  Because Reye’s syndrome is so highly correlated with the use of aspirin in children and teenagers, a good rule of thumb is not to give aspirin or aspirin-containing products to anyone under 18 unless specifically recommended by a physician.  

Lynda Metz is the director of community development at Bonner General Hospital.  The information in this article was provided courtesy of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the Mayo Clinic.