How common is Reye’s syndrome?
Since health warnings were issued in the late 1980s about not giving aspirin to children, the number of cases of Reye’s syndrome has fallen dramatically. There was an average of 52 cases of Reye’s syndrome a year in the UK and Ireland during the 1980s. The average number of cases fell to 17 during the 1990s, and there has not been a recorded case of Reye’s syndrome in England and Wales since 2001. However, some health professionals believe that a large flu pandemic (a global outbreak of a new strain of the flu virus) may lead to an upsurge in cases of Reye’s syndrome, particularly if parents ignore the warning about aspirin. Prognosis As Reye’s syndrome can cause rapid damage to the liver and brain, it should be treated as a medical emergency. A child who has Reye’s syndrome will need to be taken immediately to an intensive care unit so that their body’s functions can be supported while they are receiving treatment. Due to advances in the diagnosis and treatment of Reye’s syndrome, the
