Summary Maternal & Child Nursing Care - MATERNAL CHILD NU170 (Nu170)

REYE’S SYNDROME — NCLEX TRAP SHEET

CORE DEFINITION
- Acute, noninflammatory encephalopathy (brain)
- Hepatopathy (liver)
- Occurs after viral infection in children

CAUSE / TRIGGER
- Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) use during viral illness
- Examples: flu, varicella (chickenpox)
- Contraindicated in pediatrics

PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
- Increased ammonia in blood
- Liver dysfunction → cannot detoxify ammonia
- Leads to encephalopathy

SIGNS / SYMPTOMS
- Effortless vomiting
- Behavior changes (confusion, irritability, altered LOC)

MEDICATION SAFETY ALERT
- Avoid aspirin and salicylates in children with viral illness
- Teach parents to read medication labels

PREVENTION
- No aspirin with viral infections in children

NCLEX TRAPS
- Viral illness + vomiting + confusion = think Reye syndrome
- Aspirin + flu/chickenpox = red flag
- Noninflammatory = metabolic, not infectious cause