{"id":2553,"date":"2019-01-20T07:28:24","date_gmt":"2019-01-20T07:28:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=2553"},"modified":"2021-05-20T16:19:42","modified_gmt":"2021-05-20T16:19:42","slug":"12-truths-about-reyes-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/12-truths-about-reyes-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Truths About Reye’s Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Reye\u2019s Syndrome is a rare health condition that affects mostly children, and it affects approximately less than a million.
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It\u2019s a sometimes fatal condition that\u2019s often picked up after a child has undergone a severe viral infection \u2013 and they might even appear to have made a very good recovery from the initial infection when the symptoms of Reye\u2019s Syndrome (also sometimes called Reye Syndrome) sets in.
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The condition requires immediate medical attention, and can be treated if spotted early enough \u2013 but can be fatal if not spotted in time.
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Even though the condition mostly affects children, it can also affect adults and some people with compromised immunities should consider themselves to be more at risk, and even if a rare disease is the last thing that comes to mind, it\u2019s certainly possible \u2013 and it can affect you.
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Here are 8 truths about Reye\u2019s Syndrome that you should know if you or someone you know is ever diagnosed with it.  <\/strong>
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1. Occurs in Children<\/strong>
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Reye\u2019s Syndrome is a rare disorder that occurs in only under a million cases every year, but this doesn\u2019t make it one of the rarest disorders out there by any means, and it doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s something you\u2019ll never see in your lifetime.
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It\u2019s most common in children and it\u2019s generally considered to be a pediatric disorder. This doesn\u2019t mean that it\u2019s a disorder that\u2019s exclusively restricted to children, though, and there have been a fair amount of Reye\u2019s Syndrome cases reported in adults, too.
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Children who have recently recovered from a viral infection <\/a>and children with a generally compromised immune system can be considered to be more at risk: Any symptoms should immediately be reported to a medical professional. Left untreated, the disease presents with a considerable risk of a coma, brain damage or even death.
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Damage due to the condition can be kept to a minimal amount only when the condition is spotted and treated early on.
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2. Aspirin Can Increase the Risk<\/strong>
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While scientists can\u2019t pin down an exact cause for what makes Reye\u2019s Syndrome happens, giving children younger than eighteen aspirin to treat conditions such as a fever are known for drastically increasing the risk of developing Reye\u2019s Syndrome \u2013 and it\u2019s so prevalent that scientists have looked towards infant aspirin treatments as a potential direct cause for developing the disease.
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Aspirin <\/a>treatments aren\u2019t recommended for children under eighteen years of age because of the increased risk of Reye\u2019s Syndrome, and general medical professionals are in agreement that aspirin treatments should be avoided entirely.
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The same can be true for adults, and aspirin consumption can put you at an increased risk of developing the condition even if you are an adult; make an appointment with your doctor if you consider yourself at risk of developing the disease at all: Again, it\u2019s best spotted early.
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3. The Disease has Five Stages<\/strong>
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Reye\u2019s Syndrome<\/a> is considered to be a progressive disorder that gets worse with time, and there are five different stages of the disease that begins with its initial onset.
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The symptoms of the disease are different for every stage, and the symptoms can help your doctor to diagnose what potential stage the disease might be in; this is crucial when designing a proper treatment routine for the disease, and great detail when describing symptoms to a doctor are always needed for this reason.
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The first stages of Reye\u2019s sees discomfort and pain without a fever, though middle stages of the disease will result in liver damage and a possible swollen liver; by the end two stages of the disease, a coma becomes a common symptom, and death is sometimes seen in the final stage when the disease becomes a fatality, as is seen in as much as 40% of all cases.
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4. Usually Follows Viral Infection<\/strong>
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Reye\u2019s Syndrome is commonly seen following recovery from a viral infection, and the onset of the disease can begin a few weeks after the viral infection appears to have ended.
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Characteristically of the disorder, the symptoms of the viral infection will continue to appear as normal \u2013 such as a standard bout of the flu <\/a>\u2013 and the infection might even appear to have gone away completely.
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The first symptoms of the first stage of Reye\u2019s generally set at the moment the viral infection appear to have recovered. Once this happens, immediate medical attention is the best (and really only) next step if the progression of Reye\u2019s is to be halted at all.
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Leaving the condition untreated can come with a range of undesired health issues that can include brain damage, coma or death. Spotted early, the condition can be treated even in the later, more advanced stages of the disease.
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5. It Can Result in Brain Damage<\/strong>
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Reye\u2019s Syndrome is a condition that\u2019s best diagnosed in the early stages and treated the moment it\u2019s spotted; it\u2019s a heavily progressive condition that can go from the first stage to final in a matter of hours or days, and the consequences of leaving Reye\u2019s Syndrome untreated can result in permanent brain damage.
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Even in recovering cases, any damage to the brain due to Reye\u2019s Syndrome if the disease managed to progress to the later stages of the disorder cannot be reversed, and while rehabilitative therapy might be possible, complete recovery from the damage caused to the brain cannot be guaranteed \u2013 and brain damage is one of the most common long term side-effects seen in children who have survived the later stages of Reye\u2019s Syndrome.
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Early stages of the condition can be stopped before brain <\/a>damage sets in, but only if the right treatment is started early.
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6. It Can Cause Liver Toxicity<\/strong>
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Reye\u2019s Syndrome is a progressive and degenerative disease with a very quick progression that can pass through all the stages of the disease in a matter of hours or days; this makes it very important to take note of the symptoms and stage the disease might be in, and seek medical attention as soon as possible so that the condition can be treated before permanent damage occurs.
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The syndrome can be taxing on the entire body and can cause symptoms that include brain damage and permanent tissue damage, but it can also include liver toxicity \u2013 in addition to the brain, Reye\u2019s tends to hit the liver <\/a>the hardest.
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Fatty liver disease is sometimes seen in the middle stages of the disease, though complete organ failure (and in particular failure of the liver or permanent liver damage in recovering patients) is often seen with Reye\u2019s Syndrome.
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Over time, liver toxicity can be repaired.
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7. It\u2019s Impacted Paediatric Fever Treatment<\/strong>
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The prevalence of Reye\u2019s Syndrome has impacted pediatric science as a whole and how we respond to treating fever in small children within a hospital setting.
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One of the most common remedies for taking care of a fever is a simple aspirin<\/a>, and \u201cbaby aspirin\u201d is even available for sale in many parts of the world and given to children.
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But Reye\u2019s syndrome has made doctors and other medical professionals reconsider how fevers are treated in pediatric care \u2013 and it\u2019s generally agreed that aspirin should never be used as a control measure when it comes to fever for children just because of the increased risk of developing Reye\u2019s Syndrome that comes with aspirin.
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As a preventative measure against Reye\u2019s Syndrome, a lot of medications and products containing even trace amounts of aspirin are almost never recommended for use in anyone who falls under eighteen years old just in case.
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8. Final Stages are Fatal<\/strong>
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Reye\u2019s Syndrome has five different stages, and the progression from stage one to the final stage can be exceptionally fast, even occurring in a matter of hours or days.
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It\u2019s a condition that\u2019s best spotted early on because the disease can progress as fast as this \u2013 and once in the final stages of the disease, it becomes considerably harder to treat, and the final stages of the disease have much more severe symptoms.
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In the final stages of the disease, moving towards four and five, you will start to see symptoms that can include complete organ failure, a coma<\/a>, fatty liver disease and eventually death if the condition doesn\u2019t get fast, adequate treatment by a team of medical professionals.
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The condition still remains treatable in the final stages of the disease, but the chances of recovery can drastically decrease if the final stages of the disease have been reached by the time treatment is started.
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9. Symptoms Appear Quickly
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The first signs of the condition occur in as little as a few hours, with children developing nausea and vomiting<\/a>. Since children often experience digestive issues, parents may brush off these initial warning signs as normal behavior.
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These symptoms may not subside entirely before the child starts to exhibit signs of aggressiveness and irritability. These symptoms are also no real cause for grave concern with new parents who have no previous knowledge or history with Reye\u2019s syndrome. After losing their temper and perhaps going through several bouts of crying and screaming, your child may suddenly become lethargic and appear confused.
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Once again, lethargy is nothing new to babies, and it\u2019s a typical sign that your baby is tired and wants to sleep. However, most new parents will notice signs of confusion in their child. They fail to pay attention to your voice, become distracted easily, and their eyes may not track accurately. If left undiagnosed and untreated, the baby may experience a seizure and fall into a coma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Unknown Causes
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Medical science is at a loss to explain the exact cause of Reye\u2019s syndrome. The disorder manifests so quickly that there\u2019s barely time to respond to the developing symptoms and save the child from seizure <\/a>and coma. However, medical practitioners have some thoughts on the reason for the development of the syndrome.
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As discussed, it\u2019s thought that the use of aspirin to treat infection in young children may trigger the onset of the syndrome. Reye\u2019s also seems to occur in teenagers and children with an underlying disorder related to the efficient oxidation of fatty acids. The syndrome prevents the body from breaking down fatty acids, resulting in metabolic dysfunction.
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Other medications and health products may also trigger Reye\u2019s syndrome in children and teenagers recovering from a viral infection. Pepto-Bismol, (bismuth subsalicylate,) contains salicylates similar to those in aspirin. Avoid any products that contain wintergreen oil; this is a known contributing oil in the development of Reye\u2019s in children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11. Risk Factors
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Reye\u2019s syndrome comes with a set of risk factors<\/a> that makes a specific subtype of the population more prone to developing the condition. Studies show that the highest risk group for the development of Reye\u2019s is children between the ages of 3 and 11-years old, as well as teenagers between the age of 13 and 16-years old.
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Children with fatty acid oxidation disorders top the list of the risk profile for Reye\u2019s syndrome. Your physician should pick up any fatty acid oxidation disorders when examining your child\u2019s blood at an early age. Doctors screen for the fatty acid disorder to diagnose its presence, and treat symptoms as they arise.
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In some cases, individuals with an underlying metabolic condition, exposed by a viral infection, may be at risk of developing the disorder. Obviously, treating a child with aspirin for a virus is also a high-risk behavior for the development of the condition. While there is no cure for Reye\u2019s, medical professionals can manage symptoms with medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12. Physicians Treat Symptoms<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diagnosed cases of Reye\u2019s syndrome are rare in the United States, and across the world, with fewer than 20-confirmed cases annually in the US since 1988. Affected individuals older than 4-years have an 80-percent chance of survival and fewer complications as they age.
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Reye\u2019s syndrome is a severe health concern, and affected individuals often end up in the emergency room under life-threatening circumstances. Children and infants <\/a>will require hospitalization, and usually receive treatment in the ICU. Affected individuals typically see a reduction in symptoms as they age, with only rare instances of the syndrome occurring after the age of 25-years.
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Doctors treat symptoms of Reye\u2019s syndrome using drugs. These drugs may produce side-effects in some individuals, so be sure that your doctor is well aware of any other allergies you have to medications.
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Medications used in the treatment of Reye\u2019s syndrome include;
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\u2022    Corticosteroids to reduce brain inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Insulin to increase blood glucose levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    Diuretics to remove excess body fluid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022    In severe situations, a respirator can assist a child\u2019s breathing.
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