A Complication of Fever Treatment in Children: Reye's Syndrome
By Dr. Val
It is advised that children with fevers never be given aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) because it can result in a potentially fatal disease known as Reye's Syndrome. Symptoms of Reye’s Syndrome include loss of consciousness, vomiting, lethargy, confusion and seizures and need emergency treatment. This most commonly occurs after a cold, flu or chicken pox infection. It is now believed those affected have an underlying genetic problem with fatty acid oxidation (mitochondrial disease). Exposure to paint thinners and herbicides have also been shown to cause the disease. Although the syndrome can occur without aspirin administration, there have been numerous cases of it being caused by aspirin in children with viral fevers. While no absolute definitive cause for a susceptibility to Reye's Syndrome has been found, it is postulated that those with inborn errors of metabolism may have a problem with aspirin.
Studies have shown the damage starts in the cellular mitochondria (the energy-producing components of the cell). This problem then causes fatty liver syndrome and encephalopathy. While adult manifestation of this syndrome is rare and the adult patient generally recovers totally within two weeks, children are not so fortunate. With children, mild to severe and permanent liver and brain damage occurs, from which they seldom recover.
After the CDC (Center for Disease Control) started issuing warnings (in 1980) about using aspirin in children, the number of cases of Reye's syndrome dramatically decreased. Prior to that time children with viral infections such as colds, flu, and chickenpox were routinely given aspirin for fever, resulting in over 500 reported cases of liver and brain damage per year.
The basic thing to remember if you have a child with a viral illness and a fever is this: fever helps to burn off viral particles and toxins in the blood. Unless the fever is high (over 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit) or there are seizures, loss of consciousness or other brain dysfunction, it's usually best just to let the fever run its course. Tylenol (acetominaphen) or Ibuprophen may be given to decrease a fever if needed. When in doubt, contact your physician or the local emergency room. Most traditional medicine physicians would rather the fever run, for the reasons noted above. They will likely also suggest that the child be given an enema and fasted for a few days, to aid the body in eliminating toxins. It may seem strange in these days of giving patients a pill for every little symptom, but fever is not our enemy...it is a friend. Our bodies are designed to fight off invasions of bacteria, fungi, toxins and bad food choices. They aren't so good at fighting off viruses but those are not as dangerous (generally) as bacteria. And according to Terrain Theory, there’s no such thing as viruses. Rather, the “viral particles” appear in the cellular matrix due to toxic terrain. That means detox is the answer to avoiding such things. Fever is uncomfortable but necessary to our overall health--up to a point. Very high fevers can cause brain damage. Get to know your body and how it handles infections and toxins so you understand when to call the doctor and when to handle it yourself.
©2021 Dr. Valerie Olmsted All Rights
