Reye’s syndrome The etiology of the disease is unknown and is mostly thought to be related to viral infections, such as influenza virus, coxsackievirus, herpesvirus, EBV, etc. It may also be related to aflatoxin, salicylic acid agents or environmental genetic factors. It mostly occurs in toddlers or children aged 6 months to 15 years, with an average age of 6 years. The disease starts rapidly, and its main clinical manifestations are: ① There are often prodromal symptoms of upper respiratory tract and gastrointestinal tract viral infections in the 2 weeks before the disease. Brain damage is the most prominent manifestation of the disease. When the prodromal symptoms improve, frequent vomiting and severe headache may suddenly appear, and at the beginning of excitement and irritability, mental confusion, drowsiness, and then turn into convulsions, coma, and even cerebral rectification, which may lead to death due to respiratory failure. (iii) Liver damage, manifesting liver enlargement, accompanied by liver dysfunction, mostly without jaundice and bleeding tendency. ④ Most of them are accompanied by hypoglycemia, and a few of them show dehydration and metabolic acidosis. Aspirin has strong antipyretic and analgesic effects, and some parents regard it as the drug of choice for their children when they have fever or cold. However, aspirin may cause serious adverse reactions in children. The UK Medicines Agency advises that aspirin should not be used in children under the age of 16 because it significantly increases the chance of developing Reye’s syndrome. Reye’s syndrome is a rare but fatal condition that occurs mainly in children and adolescents. It begins with fever, convulsions, and frequent vomiting, followed by coma, impaired liver function, and possibly even death. It has been found that taking aspirin when children present with febrile illnesses significantly increases the chances of developing Reye’s syndrome. The UK Committee on Safety of Medicines has repeatedly warned that aspirin use should be delayed until 15 years of age if a child has a fever. I have personally experienced three cases of severe Reye’s Syndrome in my medical career and would like to remind parents to seek medical attention if their child has a high fever with vomiting and altered mental ability, and to use aspirin with caution.