Neurological and intellectual sequelae of Reye's syndrome

Eleven survivors of Reye's syndrome ranging in age from 9 months to 12 years were evaluated for neurological and psychoeducational sequelae. Seven children showed significant neuropsychological sequelae, ranging from severe global psychomotor retardation to mild specific perceptual and/or language impairments and from spastic quadriplegia and decorticate posturing to mild dysarthria. The severity of sequelae was inversely related to age of the child at onset of the disease. Whereas those children developing the syndrome when they were less than 1 year of age were seriously impaired, 3 children developing it in late childhood sustained no sequelae. Biochemical and neurological status at disease onset did not predict neuropsychological outcome. The results parallel the pattern of sequelae for other encephalopathies and suggest the importance for both child and family of early developmental evaluation following recovery from the disease.