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Most parents know better than to give children aspirin without a doctor’s OK. But as your children become teens, make sure that they, too, know they shouldn’t grab an aspirin from the medicine cabinet to fight pain or illness. The reason: Rare but life-threatening Reye’s syndrome, which occurs almost exclusively in the young. Research shows a link between Reye’s syndrome and the use of aspirin to treat certain illnesses. In fact, the ailment almost always follows a viral infection, most commonly influenza or chicken pox, both of which are now preventable by vaccination. Without prompt treatment, Reye’s syndrome can cause brain damage, liver damage and even death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that no one younger than 19 take aspirin or a product containing aspirin. Teens may face a risk for Reye’s syndrome because they may take aspirin without checking with an adult. Encourage your teen to ask you or a doctor before taking any medicine. Reye’s syndrome is rare because most parents have heeded warnings not to give aspirin to children. Since health officials first issued those warnings two decades ago, the number of Reye’s cases has fallen from 555 in 1980 to 40 cases or less each year. “For every case of Reye’s syndrome that occurs in the United States, we think there may be many other children who are receiving aspirin as treatment for chicken pox and influenza-like illnesses,” says Dr. Angela Mihalic, a pediatrician on the medical staff at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. “Therefore, we need to continue educating parents to avoid the use of aspirin in children who have these illnesses. If parents have questions about the use of aspirin in children, they should consult their physician.” Doctors tend to favor acetaminophen, such as Tylenol®, for treating children’s flu and cold symptoms. Symptoms of Reye’s syndrome usually show up when a child is recovering from a viral infection. Persistent vomiting is one of the first symptoms, though it may not occur in infants. Reye’s syndrome is often mistaken for other conditions with similar symptoms, such as encephalitis, meningitis, diabetes or poisoning.
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