Reye's syndrome in children dangerous?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Minh Tuan - Pediatrician - Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital

Aspirin is a fairly common drug used in the community, but should be used with caution because the drug also has very dangerous side effects. One of them is a drug that can cause Reye's syndrome in children. Reye's syndrome often appears in children, although rare but extremely dangerous.

Reye's syndrome is a rare syndrome that can cause brain edema and rapidly progressive liver failure. It can occur at any age but is most common in children.
Reye's syndrome (HCR) is a disease named after Australian pathologist Douglas Reye. Reye's syndrome is a disease that causes acute brain damage and visceral fat degeneration (especially liver) that occurs after an acute viral infection.
When infected, observing under the microscope will see solid viscera such as pancreas, heart, kidney, spleen, especially fatty infiltrated liver. Nonspecific brain injury, with cerebral edema, white matter edema, lateral ventricular compression. Microscopically, glial edema is present but not encephalitis.
Symptoms of Reye's syndrome often occur in children who have recently had a viral infection such as the flu or chickenpox. Taking aspirin to treat these conditions can significantly increase your risk of Reye's syndrome as a side effect of the medication.
Both chickenpox and the flu can cause headaches. Therefore, extreme caution should be exercised not to use aspirin to treat headaches in children.

When you have Reye's syndrome, symptoms usually develop quite quickly within a few hours.
The initial symptoms of the disease include:
Sudden nausea, vomiting. Lack of energy, tired children. Unusual behavior such as irritability, personality changes, stuttering. Or sleepy. When the liver and brain are severely damaged, the following symptoms appear: Enlarged liver. Electrolyte disturbances, low blood pressure. Children cannot recognize relatives and friends, cannot answer simple questions. Breathe fast and forcefully. There are manifestations of violent behavior. Convulsions. Comatose.

Risk factors for Reye's syndrome are:
Use of aspirin to treat viral infections during influenza, chickenpox, or upper respiratory tract infections. There is disturbance of basic fatty acid oxidation.

Reye's syndrome is increasingly rare in children because today doctors no longer have the habit of prescribing aspirin to children. Reye's syndrome is not an infectious disease, so parents can prevent it by some measures as follows:
If the child has a headache, it is best to give the child paracetamol to relieve the pain. However, even with safe drugs like paracetamol, it is necessary to use the right dose for children to avoid side effects caused by drugs. If the pain does not go away with paracetamol, see a doctor. Mothers with young children who are breastfeeding should not take any products containing aspirin because it will be passed through breast milk. Before taking a medicine, read the label carefully to avoid accidentally giving aspirin to a child. Many over-the-counter medicines contain aspirin, including some weight-loss drugs, anti-nausea medicines, cold medicines, and sinusitis treatments. For children infected with viruses in the upper respiratory tract diseases, chickenpox, flu ... absolutely should not use aspirin but must be treated with other antipyretic and pain relievers such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. When giving medicine to children, it is necessary to pay attention to some products containing aspirin such as Alka- Seltzer, Acetylsalicylic acid. Reye is a syndrome that can be life-threatening. However, the degree of brain damage for each child is different. Take your child to the emergency room right away if your child shows signs of confusion, lethargy, or other psychiatric symptoms.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professor, associate professor, doctorate, master), rich experience, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108... All doctors are well-trained, professional, have a mind - range, and are knowledgeable about young psychology. In addition to domestic pediatric specialists, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to childhood. upon reaching adulthood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - craniofacial surgery, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to have fun and get used to the hospital's environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.