What is Reye's syndrome? What could be its causes?
Reye's syndrome with the medical name Reye's syndrome is a rare disorder that is mostly seen in children and teenagers who use aspirin to treat infectious diseases. This syndrome targets the child's brain and liver and if not treated in time, it can cause serious brain damage and in rare cases even lead to death.
In fact, it can be said that this syndrome is seen in people under the age of 18 who have contracted infectious diseases such as chicken pox or influenza and have used aspirin or other similar drugs for treatment.... The main cause of this disease is not yet known, so one should be very careful in the use of aspirin and its arbitrary use for children.
In this article from the blog "GCORP LLC, stay with us to learn more about this disease, its symptoms, ways to diagnose and prevent Reye's syndrome.
What are the symptoms of Reye syndrome?
This disease can affect a person at any age, especially if a person has a habit of arbitrarily using pain relievers containing aspirin. The symptoms of this disease usually appear very quickly and within 3 to 5 days after the onset of the infectious disease or during the recovery period. It causes this disease to be...
By affecting the body's metabolism, Reye's syndrome severely reduces blood sugar levels and instead increases blood ammonia levels, which leads to blood acidity.. This can cause the liver to swell and produce fat deposits.The initial symptoms of Reye's syndrome in children under 2 years of age appear very quickly and within a few hours after taking the medicine, severe diarrhea, rapid and irregular breathing are among the initial symptoms of this disease.
Symptoms of this syndrome are different in different ages and can have different symptoms which include:
- Feeling of nausea, frequent vomiting and severe loss of appetite Excessive sleepiness, lethargy and weakness
- Stuttering, staring and immobility
- Excitability and extreme aggression
- Illusion and confusion
- Muscular and motor weakness
- Decreasing the level of consciousness
- Anesthesia Seizures and coma
In such a situation, a person needs immediate help, keep calm, put the child in the right position, call emergency and wait for medical help to arrive.
Since Reye syndrome targets the liver and brain, its symptoms may be confused with diseases such as brain swelling (encephalitis), meningitis, diabetes, drug poisoning, and even mental illness in children, which is why it is important to see a doctor immediately for an accurate diagnosis.
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Effective factors on Ray syndrome disease
It was already mentioned that the main cause of this syndrome is not yet known, but what can be said for sure is the effect of various factors on this disease.. Children and teenagers with fat oxidation disorders or metabolic disorders are more susceptible to this disease.. Other factors affecting this disease include the following:
- Using aspirin to treat infectious diseases
- Consumption of non-prescription drugs containing salicylate such as: bismuth subsalicylate
- Improper liver function (this increases ammonia levels in the body, which can lead to brain death.) Exposure to chemicals such as herbicides and thinners
- Rotavirus disease that causes diarrhea, vomiting and intestinal inflammation.
- Consumption of herbal medicines containing "Winter Green" which is used topically.
Pay attention to the following points:
- Regarding the use of drugs that are used to treat infectious diseases (such as those mentioned), it should be noted that the use of this category of drugs is prohibited in children who have a viral infection or have a history of such diseases.
- A few weeks after the chicken pox vaccine injection, you should not use aspirin or ASA to reduce post-vaccine pain or fever.
- Avoid self-administration of the listed medicines to treat headache or simple fever in isolated children.
- If your child experiences frequent seizures, lethargy, weakness, or sudden behavior change while suffering from a disease and taking medication, see a doctor immediately to prevent irreversible consequences by diagnosing the disease in time.
- The best way to prevent Reye's syndrome in children is to avoid arbitrary use of aspirin-containing drugs.
- To prevent people under the age of 18 from getting this disease, it is better to use drugs such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen after consulting a doctor.
Note: The use of ibuprofen is prohibited in children with fever and viral disease under 6 months.
Symptoms of Reye syndrome
It is better to know that although the life expectancy of people with this disease is more than 80%, in some cases it causes serious damage to parts of the brain and disruption of the nervous system.. Regarding this disease and the importance of taking its symptoms seriously, it is enough to point out that although most children and teenagers recover from this disease, they suffer permanent brain damage, so see a doctor as soon as you see the symptoms.If this disease is not treated in time, it can cause the sudden death of a child or teenager within a few days... So take the symptoms of the disease seriously.
Ways to diagnose Reye syndrome
Since the main cause of this disease is still unknown, there is no definite diagnosis and treatment for it either.... If the doctor diagnoses that the child has oxidative liver disease, screening tests are usually used to diagnose the disease and choose the best treatment method.... In other cases, the doctor usually prescribes the following tests to diagnose the disease:
- Liver biopsy or liver sampling
- Tomographic scan (CT)
- skin biopsy
- Spinal fluid analysis and culture
- Magnetic Imaging or "MRI"
Rey syndrome treatment methods
Patients with Reye's syndrome are hospitalized and treated in the intensive care unit after the final diagnosis. There is no definitive treatment for this disease, and the severity of the damage and the patient's life span depend on various factors, including the amount of damage, symptoms, brain and liver function, but there are ways to control, reduce damage and treat this disease, which include the following:
- Using diuretics, intracranial pressure lowering drugs and diuretics
- Prescribing medicine to prevent bleeding and blood clotting
- Plasma therapy, vitamin K therapy and platelet therapy to reduce liver abnormalities
- Using insulin to regulate blood sugar reduction
- Using corticosteroid drugs to reduce brain swelling
- Venous injection including injection of glucose serum with electrolyte solution to reduce blood acidity
Conclusion
These days, the level of awareness of parents about the arbitrary use of drugs and avoiding giving aspirin to children has increased a lot, which plays an important role in reducing the number of people suffering from this disease.
Although this syndrome is a rare disease, it is a serious health and medical condition that, if left untreated, can lead to death and serious brain damage in children and even death. Therefore, as mentioned many times in this text, avoid arbitrary use of any aspirin or salicylate-containing drugs in children and adolescents under 18 years of age with viral diseases. By going to the doctor on time, you can largely succeed in controlling and treating this disease. Online consultation and you can contact GCORP LLC's infectious specialists to make an appointment.
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