Description

Dr. Bruce Polsky, MD, Division Chief of Infectious Disease at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital, explains the symptoms, causes, and treatment of Reye's Syndrome.

Transcript

Kerriann: Hi! My name is Kerriann and I'm from Commack, New York, and my question is Reye's syndrome and how does it affect children? Dr. Bruce Polsky: Well Kerriann, Reye's syndrome is a rare condition that affects central nervous system and the liver of children with viral illness, typically, chickenpox and influenza and is manifest by behavioral change, typically either irritability or lethargy in the middle of a viral illness and often, seems to be associated with having given aspirin as a fever reducer or another salicylate containing fever reducer. So, if you have behavioral change in your child, consult your pediatrician right away and for fever, stay away from aspirin in your children.