What Is It and What Causes It?
Reyes Syndrome is a rare and often fatal illness that develops rapidly and can be a complication of the flu or chicken pox in children. It can also cause severe brain damage.
Reyes Syndrome has been linked to the use of aspirin in the treatment of these viral infections. It is highly recommended that aspirin should not be given to children 19 years of age and under who are suffering from the flu or chicken pox.
There appears to be no danger in giving aspirin to otherwise healthy children for simple pain or minor cuts or other injuries.
What Are the Symptoms?
The symptoms include sudden, severe vomiting, violent headaches, hyperactive or combative behavior, personality and behavior changes in those who appear to be recovering from a viral infection. The symptoms progress to listlessness, sleeping constantly, and possibly convulsions and coma.
If these symptoms are present, parents are advised to seek immediate medical attention.
How Is It Treated?
Treatment of Reyes Syndrome requires hospitalization.
* What is Reye's Syndrome
Reye's syndrome is an acute disorder which affects children when they seem to be recovering from a viral illness like 'flu', chicken-pox or diarrhoea.
The child has a change in his/her personality or becomes drowsy or unconscious and develops frequent or persistent vomiting.
Unless diagnosed and treated successfully, death or severe disability may result. Abnormal accumulations of fat develop in the liver and some other organs of the body. There is swelling of the brain which can cause it injury.
The disease affects children from infancy onwards. Although it does occur in teenagers and adults, it is rarely recognised after 19 years of age. Children of both sexes and all races can be affected.
*What Causes Reye's Syndrome?
The cause is unknown; but a...
Let me explain this more clearly
This was a 10th grade research project I did on reyes syndrome. It is in the format of an oral presentation, with a pamphlet that was handed out to the class.
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