School Nurse
News From The Nurse
By
Meredith Smith RN, BSN
It is cold and flu season and most of us give our children medication to relieve the symptoms and make them more comfortable. It is okay to do this but we need to be careful about the medications we use. It is very important that we do not give children and teens under the age of 19 any products that contain aspirin. Aspirin can cause very serious complications following some illnesses. The complication is called Reye’s Syndrome.
The article this month is a parent letter published by the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation. I have also included a list of commonly used medications that do contain aspirin which should help you know which medications to avoid. You can get more information on medications and Reye’s Syndrome at www.reyessyndrome.org.
REYE’S SYNDROME
Reye’s Syndrome is a very serious disease that you should know about. Some people develop Reye’s Syndrome as they are getting over a viral illness, such as the flu or chicken pox. Reye’s Syndrome usually affects people from infancy through young adulthood; however, no age group is immune. Although Reye’s generally occurs when someone is recovering from any viral illness, it can develop 3 to 5 days after the onset of the illness. Its main targets are the liver and brain, it is noncontagious, and too often is misdiagnosed as encephalitis, meningitis, diabetes, poisoning, drug overdose, or sudden infant death.
Early diagnosis is crucial. An individual should be watched during the next 2 to 3 weeks following a viral illness for these symptoms, usually occurring in this order;
*Relentless or continuous vomiting
*Listlessness (loss of pep and energy with little interest in their environment)
*Drowsiness (excessive sleepiness)
*Personality change (such as irritability, slurred speech, sensitivity to touch)
*Disorientation or confusion (unable to identify whereabouts, family members or answer questions)
*Combativeness (striking out at those trying to help them)
Reye’s Syndrome should be suspected in anyone who vomits repeatedly. Phone your doctor immediately if these symptoms develop. Voice your concern about Reye’s Syndrome. If your physician is unavailable, take the person to an Emergency Room promptly. Two liver function tests (SGOT, SGPT) can be done to determine the possibility of Reye’s Syndrome. There is a 90% chance of recovery when the syndrome is treated in its earliest stages by physicians and nurses experienced in the treatment of Reye’s.
Studies have shown that using aspirin or aspirin-containing medications to treat the symptoms of viral illnesses increases the chance of developing Reye’s Syndrome. If you or a member of your family have a viral illness, do not use aspirin or aspirin-containing medication. In fact, you should consult your physician before you take any drugs, particularly aspirin or anti-nausea medicines, to treat flu, chicken pox or any viral illness. Anti-nausea medicines may mask the symptoms of Reye’s syndrome.
The National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation (NRSF), the U.S. Surgeon General, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that aspirin and combination products containing aspirin not be taken by anyone under 19 years of age during fever-causing illnesses.
Aspirin is part of the salicylate family of medicines. Another name for aspirin is acetylsalicylate; some drug labels may use the words acetylsalicylate, acetylsalicylic acid, salicylic acid, salicylate, etc., instead of the word aspirin. Currently, there is no conclusive data as to whether other forms of salicylates are associated with the development of Reye’s Syndrome. Until further research has answered this question, the NRSF recommends that products containing any of these substances not be taken during episodes of viral infections.
