### Human:\nwhy can't you give children baby aspirin?\n\n### Assistant: basically there is no need for children to get aspirin now that acetaminophen and ibuprofen are available over-the-counter and approved for children. these are safer alternatives and it is best to just avoid giving aspirin to children entirely. aspirin has been linked to causing a rare but severe reaction called reye's syndrome in children who have certain viral illnesses. reye's syndrome can be fatal and causes damage to the liver and the brain.