Child Experiences the Agony of Stevens Johnson Syndrome

October 9, 2010, 1:00PM. By Heidi Turner

Portland, OROne of the shocking things about Stevens Johnson Syndrome is that it can be caused by a reaction to any one of a number of commonly used medications. People use Motrin, Advil and ibuprofen without realizing they could be at risk of developing Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). Even when Stevens Johnson Syndrome symptoms develop, they do not initially realize they are in a life-threatening situation. If the situation progresses too far, their SJS could cause large portions of their skin to slough off, vision problems and, in some cases, death.

It is not just adults who run the risk of developing SJS. Children can also experience a severe allergic reaction to medications, including Motrin. A three-year-old girl named Riley Brown was lucky to survive after developing SJS within hours of taking Motrin. Riley's symptoms, as reported by News 13 (cfnews13.com), started as a fever and rash that covered every part of her body.

Riley was initially prescribed Motrin after she broke her clavicle while playing, the according to the 9/17/10 edition of the St. Petersburg Times. When she developed flu-like symptoms, her doctor prescribed further Motrin as well as Tylenol. One of the first signs of SJS are flu-like symptoms. By the next morning, Riley had blisters so bad her eyes were swollen shut.

Her skin bubbled up and then sloughed off her back, torso and face. Due to the amount of pain she was in, Riley was unconscious during the month she was in hospital, where she underwent multiple surgeries and a blood transfusion. As a result of the ordeal, Riley has to wear sunglasses and must stay out of the sun for a year to prevent blindness.

What makes Stevens Johnson Syndrome so scary is that it could be caused by any medication—prescription or over-the-counter—and there is no way to predict when a person will experience SJS symptoms.

One lawsuit recently heard by the courts resulted in an award of $21 million to a woman who became blind after an allergic reaction to medication. A jury awarded Karen Bartlett the $21 million after finding Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. responsible for injuries to Bartlett that reportedly resulted from taking Sulindac (the generic form of Clinoril).