Why should a sick child with a viral illness not be given salicylates?

Answer:
No child under age 12 should be given aspirin (salicylates) because it increases their chances of developing Reye's syndrome. Reye's syndrome is a rare disease characterized by fatty changes in the liver (leading to liver failure) and encephalopathy (brain swelling - also could be fatal). This syndrome was first described when aspirin products were given to children with chicken pox or influenza B - now, to be safe, children shouldn't be given aspirin at all for any illness unless directly prescribed by a doctor in a few diseases.

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Salicylic acid is a fancy name for aspirin. First of all kids should not take aspirin at a young age since it is a blood thinner and can cause stomach bleeding in the young, especially with their developing organs. Viral infections cannot be cured with aspirin or any medicine other than a vaccine so just let it pass.

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Never give medications containing aspirin to a baby. Aspirin can make children susceptible to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal illness

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Aspirin or other salicylates should never be given to people under the age of 19. It can cause a potentially fatal disease called Reye's Syndrome. A good practice is to just never use aspirin at all for any type of fever or pain. There are other options like Tylenol or Motrin.

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