Many of you may remember that as a child they gave you child aspirin for pain, fever ... But, at present, aspirin for children is contraindicated, even up to 16 or 18 years should not administer this medicine Why is childhood aspirin not recommended?
It has been shown that acetylsalicylic acid can cause side effects in children and adolescents that could be very serious, such as Reye's syndrome, which has dangerous consequences on the brain and liver.
For this reason, international scientific societies advise against its use until the age of 18 and in Spain the Spanish Association of Pediatrics reminds us in its article about fever that currently the use of acetylsalicylic acid for the treatment of fever or pain in children and adolescents is not recommended. below 16 years.
At the same time it reminds us that fever is a natural reaction to activate defenses against infections and that it is not necessary to treat fever but the discomfort it produces. In other places on its website for families, the AEP notes that the restriction is up to 18 years.
Reye's syndrome It is a rare but serious complication that occurs especially during chickenpox and the flu. This syndrome has now become very rare since, as we have seen, acetylsalicylic acid stopped being recommended for routine use in children, seeing that its use increased the chances of the syndrome happening.
Reye's syndrome is seen more frequently in children four to 12 years old. Most cases that occur with chickenpox occur in children five to nine years old, while cases that occur with the flu usually occur in children 10 to 14 years old.
Definitely, remember not to give your child aspirin and ask the pediatrician questions about it. The most suitable anti-dermal drugs for pediatric age are paracetamol and ibuprofen, although it is always necessary to identify what causes the fever rather than trying to lower it at all costs: anti-thermal drugs are not always necessary.
