The symptoms of Reye’s syndrome usually begin around seven days after a child develops a viral infection.
The initial symptoms of Reye’s syndrome include:
- persistent vomiting,
- listlessness,
- loss of energy, and
- drowsiness.
As Reye’s syndrome progresses, the symptoms may become more severe and wide ranging. These symptoms can include:
- extreme irritability,
- agitation,
- delirium (a severe state of mental confusion and anxiety that is sometimes associated with hallucinations), and
- coma.
When to seek medical advice
You should always contact your GP if your child experiences persistent vomiting and/or seems unusually drowsy and listless (lacking in energy and enthusiasm). Although these symptoms will probably not to be the result of Reye’s syndrome, they still need to be checked by your GP.
