In addition to being extremely rare, Reye's Syndrome is a serious illness that causes mental confusion, swelling in the brain and liver damage. Children who are recovering from viral illnesses are the biggest victims of the syndrome and if they are taking some type of aspirin, the risk is even greater. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor and observe children's health problems, as is the case of Syndrome of reye.
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Learn how to identify Reye Syndrome in children
Reye's Syndrome is an acute disease that attacks the brain and liver, and the highest risk groups are children, adolescents and young people up to 20 years of age. This disease occurs from the use of aspirin or as a result of a viral infection. Understand now what can trigger it, symptoms, how is the diagnosis and how is the treatment.
Causes
Reye's Syndrome accompanies a viral or respiratory infection. Two specific viruses have the power to cause this disease: varicella-zoster, the virus responsible for chickenpox, and influenza, the flu virus.
Although the evolution of the disease does not have a certain reason, some specialists believe that a cause be it the use of medicines that contain the active ingredient acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), present in aspirin.
Symptoms
The symptoms of the syndrome vary in their severity. Typically, they begin to manifest within a few days of a viral infection. The most common ones are:
- Vomiting;
- Somnolence;
- Convulsions;
- Weakness;
- Agitation;
- Irritability;
- Disorientation;
- Speech difficulty.
Diagnosis
Because it is a difficult disease to diagnose, the first step is clinical suspicion. She is very rare, so, first, you need to rule out the possibility of more common health problems. However, diagnoses can be made by:
- Magnetic resonance imaging;
- Liver biopsy;
- Lumbar puncture;
- Blood and urine tests;
- Computed tomography.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for Reye's Syndrome. Some measures are taken to decrease brain swelling and, depending on the severity of the illness in the child, some may be given vitamins or medication.
This article does not provide solutions for medical or psychological problems. Consult a specialist before starting any treatment.
