$Unique_ID{PAR00138}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Reye's Syndrome}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Reye's Syndrome vomit vomiting drowsy drowsiness Overactive
Overactivity confused confusion recovering viral infection infections aspirin
chicken pox influenza Acetaminophen liver toxin toxins poison aspirins
brain damage coma death fatal Blood tests}
$Log{}

Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Reye's Syndrome


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOMS
     - Severe vomiting
     - Unusual drowsiness
     - Overactivity or confusion in a child recovering from a viral infection

     HOME CARE
     - Do not attempt home treatment.  Consult a doctor immediately.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - Reye's syndrome usually attacks children and teenagers who are
       recovering from a viral infection.  Children between the ages of five
       and 11 are at the highest risk.
     - Do not give aspirin to a child who has chicken pox or influenza.
       Reye's syndrome has been associated with the use of aspirin in treating
       viral infections.  Acetaminophen, an aspirin substitute that has not
       been linked to Reye's syndrome, can be used instead.  Sponge baths may
       also help to bring down a fever.
     - Reye's syndrome is fatal in 25 percent of cases.  Early diagnosis and
       treatment are vital.


     Reye's syndrome is a relatively rare but very serious noncontagious
disease.  Although it affects all organs and muscles of the body, it does the
most damage to the brain and the liver, causing the brain to swell and fatty
deposits to collect in the liver.
     Reye's syndrome usually strikes children and teenagers who are recovering
from a viral infection, most commonly influenza or chicken pox.  Children
between the ages of five and 11 are at the highest risk.  Most of the reported
cases occur from December through March.
     It is not known precisely what causes Reye's syndrome.  Some researchers
think that, since it almost always follows a viral infection, Reye's syndrome
may be caused by a virus, and that the virus, in conjunction with some other
unknown substance, produces a toxin (poison) that damages the body.  Recent
research suggests that the swelling of the brain that accompanies Reye's
syndrome may be caused by a defect in the body's metabolism that prevents
substances harmful to the brain from being flushed out.
     There is also evidence of a link between Reye's syndrome and the use of
aspirin in treating the viral infections that generally precede its onset.
Although it has not been proved that aspirin causes or promotes Reye's
syndrome, doctors now caution against giving aspirin to children with viral
infections, especially influenza and chicken pox.
     If Reye's syndrome isn't diagnosed and treated early, it can cause
permanent brain damage, coma, or death.  About 25 percent of cases of Reye's
syndrome are fatal.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     Suspect Reye's syndrome if a child who has been recovering from a viral
infection suddenly starts vomiting severely and becomes unusually drowsy,
overactive, or confused.  As the disease progresses, it can cause convulsions
and unconsciousness.

HOME CARE

     If you suspect that your child has Reye's syndrome, consult a doctor
immediately.  Do not attempt home treatment.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  Do not give aspirin to a child with a viral infection, particularly
     chicken pox or influenza.  Instead, sponge baths and aspirin substitutes,
     such as acetaminophen, can be used to treat fever and other symptoms.
     Aspirin substitutes have not been linked to Reye's syndrome.
  -  Reye's syndrome is fatal in 25 percent of cases.  Early diagnosis and
     treatment are essential to the child's recovery.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     If the doctor suspects that your child may have Reye's syndrome, tests
will be ordered to confirm the diagnosis.  Blood tests may reveal
abnormalities that suggest liver damage.  Younger children may have a very low
blood sugar level.  A spinal tap may be done to rule out other diseases.
     There is no known cure for Reye's syndrome, and treatment consists of
supportive therapy to help the child withstand the disease until it runs its
course.  The child is usually hospitalized.  As a rule, a child who survives
for three or four days will recover completely.

RELATED TOPICS:  Chicken pox; Convulsions without fever; Encephalitis; Fever;
Influenza; Viral infections