aspirin

Aspirin is a wonder drug, extraordinarily cheap, safe and effective for a variety of ills. Unfortunately, it is linked with the development of a rare syndrome in childhood called Reye Syndrome in children with influenza and chickenpox. In the past this was a much more common problem and was at first often fatal. The condition has essentially disappeared. We now avoid aspirin and all salicylates (such as Pepto Bismol®) in children in general and specifically in any child thought to possibly have influenza or chickenpox.

Aspirin is used in children for the treatment of Kawasaki disease, in the management of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and for toxic synovitis of the hip. Those are the only common uses I can think of offhand; there might be others but they are rare.

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