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Reye syndrome

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Prevention:

Never give a child aspirin unless specifically told to do so by your doctor.

When a child must take aspirin, care must be taken to reduce the child's risk of catching a viral illness such as the flu and chickenpox. Aspirin should be avoided for several weeks after receiving a varicella (chickenpox) vaccine.

Note: Other over-the-counter medications such as Pepto-Bismol and compounds containing oil of wintergreen also contain aspirin-compounds called salicylates. These should not be given to a child who has a cold or fever.

References:

Cohen J, Powderly WG. Infectious Diseases . 2nd ed. New York, NY: Elsevier; 2004:310-311.

Goetz, CG. Textbook of Clinical Neurology . 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2003: 656-657.

Ferri FF. Ferri’s Clinical Advisor: Instant Diagnosis and Treatment. 2005 ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2005:738.

Noble J. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine . 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001:46-47.

• Review Date: 8/18/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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