Reye's syndrome

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Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 2, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This includes plain aspirin and medications that contain aspirin.

Some hospitals and medical facilities conduct newborn screenings for fatty acid oxidation disorders to determine which children are at greater risk of developing Reye's syndrome. Children with known fatty acid oxidation disorders should not take aspirin or aspirin-containing products.

Always check the label before you give your child medication, including over-the-counter products and alternative or herbal remedies. Aspirin can show up in some unexpected places, such as Alka-Seltzer. Sometimes aspirin goes by other names, too, such as:

  • Acetylsalicylic acid
  • Acetylsalicylate
  • Salicylic acid
  • Salicylate

If your child has the flu, chickenpox or another viral illness, use other medications — such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) — to reduce high fever or relieve pain.

There's one caveat to the aspirin rule, however. Children and teenagers who have certain chronic diseases, such as Kawasaki disease, may need long-term treatment with drugs that contain aspirin. If your child needs aspirin therapy, make sure his or her vaccines are current — including two doses of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine and a yearly flu vaccine. Avoiding these two viral illnesses can help prevent Reye's syndrome.

Treatments and drugs
References
  1. Gascon GG, et al. Aminoacidopathies and organic acidopathies, mitochondrial enzyme defects, and other metabolic errors. In: Goetz CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/142707459-3/0/1488/274.html?tocnode=53802221&fromURL=274.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3618-0..10031-1_1989. Accessed June 10, 2009.
  2. Asturias EJ, et al. Postinfectious and vaccine-related encephalitis. In: Cohen J, et al. Infectious diseases. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/142707459-4/0/1209/82.html?tocnode=49352112&fromURL=82.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-02407-6..50029-5--cesec15_917. Accessed June 10, 2009.
  3. NINDS Reye's syndrome information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/reyes_syndrome/reyes_syndrome.htm. Accessed June 10, 2009.
  4. Carey RG, et al. Mitochondrial hepatopathies. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Saunders; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/142707459-4/0/1608/857.html?tocnode=54481831&fromURL=857.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50360-1_7094. Accessed June 10, 2009.
  5. Internal analgesic, antipyretic and antirheumatic drug products for over-the-counter human use: Tentative final monograph. Federal Register.1998;53:46204.
  6. Mahoney KR (expert opinion). U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Md. Feb. 4, 2009.
  7. Recommended immunization schedules for persons aged 0-18 years - United States, 2009. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5751a5.htm?s_cid=mm5751a5_e. Accessed June 10, 2009.
  8. Reye's syndrome. National Reye's Syndrome Foundation. http://www.reyessyndrome.org/pdfs/Awareness_Lists_English_full.pdf. Accessed June 16, 2009.
  9. Kawasaki disease. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4634. Accessed June 17, 2009.
  10. Gosalakkal JA, et al. Reye syndrome and Reye-like syndrome. Pediatric Neurology, 2008;39:198.
  11. Renaud DL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 6, 2009.
  12. Kamboj M. Clinical approach to the diagnoses of inborn errors of metabolism. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2008;55:1113.

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Sept. 18, 2009

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