3 ms·

Can't use aspirin in children and teenagers because of the risk of Reye's Syndrome. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/reyes-syndrome/symptoms-caus

Can't use aspirin in children and teenagers because of the risk of Reye's Syndrome. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/reyes-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20377255 https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/reyes-syndrom...

antisthenes 9y ago
1000 cases in the US, which means you're about 30x more likely to die in a car accident in any given year. Also, the syndrome isn't immediately lethal. When people worry about infinitesimally small risks, it always makes me chuckle.
- jbd28 9y ago
  1000 cases in the US because there are no child friendly pain medications (sweet syrup and oral syringe) but by all means risk your child’s liver to prove us all wrong
  - isostatic 9y ago
    Quite normal in the UK to use calpol (paracetomol) and nurofen (ibuprufen) in a 5ml syringe (doses at 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 as the child gets older). What do you do in the US?
    - sjburt 9y ago
      Paracetamol is acetaminophen (Tylenol) and both are commonly given to children. Aspirin typically only if a doctor says it's ok.
- jamez1 9y ago
  That's 1000 cases when we restrict children from taking aspirin, it could be a lot more once we let them
  - tzs 9y ago
    No, it was under 1000 cases per year in the US before the association with aspirin was known. Over the next 14 years it dropped to about 2 per year.
    - glaugh 9y ago
      I had Reye syndrome without having taken aspirin. Obviously one person commenting doesn't disprove your point at all. But it's an odd feeling to be that person.
  - ams6110 9y ago
    No, Reyes is very rare even when parents gave sick kids chewable baby aspirin almost like candy.
arkades 9y ago
The link to aspirin is dubious at best, which is why it’s always phrased as “linked to,” rather than any language endorsing causality. We’ve simply gone with a policy of “better safe than sorry,” because of the risks/benefits involved here.

antisthenes 9y ago

1000 cases in the US, which means you're about 30x more likely to die in a car accident in any given year. Also, the syndrome isn't immediately lethal. When people worry about infinitesimally small risks, it always makes me chuckle.

jbd28 9y ago
1000 cases in the US because there are no child friendly pain medications (sweet syrup and oral syringe) but by all means risk your child’s liver to prove us all wrong
- isostatic 9y ago
  Quite normal in the UK to use calpol (paracetomol) and nurofen (ibuprufen) in a 5ml syringe (doses at 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 as the child gets older). What do you do in the US?
  - sjburt 9y ago
    Paracetamol is acetaminophen (Tylenol) and both are commonly given to children. Aspirin typically only if a doctor says it's ok.
jamez1 9y ago
That's 1000 cases when we restrict children from taking aspirin, it could be a lot more once we let them
- tzs 9y ago
  No, it was under 1000 cases per year in the US before the association with aspirin was known. Over the next 14 years it dropped to about 2 per year.
  - glaugh 9y ago
    I had Reye syndrome without having taken aspirin. Obviously one person commenting doesn't disprove your point at all. But it's an odd feeling to be that person.
- ams6110 9y ago
  No, Reyes is very rare even when parents gave sick kids chewable baby aspirin almost like candy.

arkades 9y ago

The link to aspirin is dubious at best, which is why it’s always phrased as “linked to,” rather than any language endorsing causality. We’ve simply gone with a policy of “better safe than sorry,” because of the risks/benefits involved here.