🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 💬 Health Communication — Learning to describe physical sensations accurately — where it hurts, how it feels, when it started — gives children the language to communicate health needs to adults clearly and be understood accurately in medical situations.
• 🧠 Body Awareness — Understanding how the body works — what makes hearts beat faster, why we need sleep, what food does inside us — builds the health literacy that enables informed, health-conscious decisions throughout life.
• 🛡️ Safety Knowledge — Learning about personal safety, body autonomy, and when to ask for help equips children with the knowledge and confidence to protect themselves and seek adult support in challenging situations.
• 🥦 Nutrition Awareness — Connecting food to body function — understanding that vegetables fuel muscles, water regulates temperature, and protein builds tissue — gives children an intrinsic reason to make healthy food choices.

In many households, a preschooler coming home with sniffles and a cough may seem rather commonplace -- illnesses are bound to happen. That's why preschooler parents should be aware of a rare, but serious disorder called Reye’s Syndrome. It's often associated with illnesses that start as a cold or flu, though it ends much more seriously. Its cause is unknown, but research has uncovered important details about Reye’s syndrome that no parent should overlook.

Because Reye’s Syndrome is such a rare disorder, it is not often at the forefront of public attention. In 1963, Dr. R. Douglas Rye (pronounced “rye”) first detailed this syndrome. Reye’s Syndrome usually occurs after (but sometimes during) a viral illness like the flu, cold or the chicken pox. It makes sense that the peak of diagnoses occur during the cold season, particularly January, February and March, however, diagnoses of Reye's occur all year long. All age groups can be affected by Reye's Syndrome, but those ages 4 to 12 are most commonly afflicted.

One of the most unsettling things about this disorder is how it can sneak up on you. While your preschooler may seem to be recovering from their virus, frequent vomiting then starts to occur. Fatigue, irritability and confusion can then set in and consciousness may start to wane. Other symptoms include seizures, weakness in the limbs, unusual limb posture, speech problems, and double vision. All of these symptoms may not occur and can vary. Additionally, a fever is typically not associated with Reye’s Syndrome and the condition is not contagious. Without proper and timely treatment, Reye’s Syndrome can quickly cause death.


Though the cause is unknown, what is known is that unusually high amounts of fat begin developing around the organs, particularly the liver. The fluid pressure on the brain also rises dramatically. These physiological changes lead to rapid development of the symptoms listed above and potential death over a few days. Though aspirin does not cause Reye’s Syndrome, research shows that over 90 percent of those afflicted took aspirin during the course of their preceding illness. That’s why it is imperative that aspirin and other products containing salicylate (phonetically pronounced suh-lie-seh-late) including some anti-nausea medications, Pepto-Bismol, and more, are not recommended for your preschooler during illness for symptom relief. A more thorough (though not complete) salicylate medication list is here.

The Key Tips for Reye's Syndrome

Do not give your preschooler aspirin during times of illness to relieve symptoms unless specifically given permission by your pediatrician. Also, if you notice the symptoms of Reye’s Syndrome listed above, you must get your preschooler to the ER immediately. Treatment and evaluation during the acute phase of Reye’s Syndrome dramatically increases the chances of survival.

By: Pia Chaparro

References:

1. National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.reyessyndrome.org on 28 $1
   

1. National Institute of Health’s National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001565.htm on 28 $1

Helpful Tips for Parents - Fiber intake prevents constipation, which is extremely common in preschoolers and is often the driver of "tummy aches" and behavior issues. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are the fix. - Sun safety: seek shade between 10am–4pm, wear wide-brim hats, apply SPF 50+ sunscreen, wear UV-protective clothing. Childhood sunburns significantly increase melanoma risk in adulthood. - Preschoolers average 8–10 colds per year — this is normal and builds immunity. Frequent illness in a healthy preschooler is expected, not concerning. - Physical activity reduces preschooler illness frequency, severity, and recovery time. Active children miss fewer sick days and recover faster when ill. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### When should I keep my preschooler home from school? Standard exclusion criteria: fever above 100.4°F (38°C), vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours, a rash with fever or unknown cause, pink eye (conjunctivitis) that is weeping and contagious, or a child too ill to participate in activities. A child can return: fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, diarrhea/vomiting-free for 24 hours, rash identified as non-contagious, pink eye treated for 24 hours with antibiotic. Runny nose, mild cough without fever, and general tiredness are not sufficient reasons to exclude from school. Related reading: See also our nutrition guide and our emotional health guide for more ideas on this topic.