How To Treat And Prevent Reye's Syndrome

Reye’s syndrome is a rare and serious medical condition that can cause swelling in the brain and liver. It most commonly affects children and teenagers who have contracted a viral infection like chickenpox or the flu. Patients typically start showing symptoms of Reye’s syndrome three to five days after the onset of the initial illness. The early symptoms of Reye’s syndrome vary depending on the patient’s age. If the patient is under two years old, the first symptoms will be diarrhea and rapid breathing. Early symptoms in older patients include extreme lethargy and frequent vomiting. As Reye’s syndrome progresses, the patient will develop other symptoms, including irrational behavior, irritability, paralysis or weakness in the limbs, seizures, hallucinations, confusion, extreme lethargy, and lessened consciousness.

While there is currently no cure for Reye’s syndrome, there are treatments that can control the symptoms. There are also ways to prevent Reye’s syndrome or at least reduce the chances of developing it.