PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Caring for sick children is stressful enough, but now there is a shortage of over-the-counter children's pain medications.
There are plenty of cold and flu medications on the shelves at Custom Care Pharmacy in Milton, but that is not the case everywhere.
"We've run into people looking for Tylenol, ibuprofen, pain relievers, and regular cough and cold remedies," said owner Adam Rosinski.
Nationally, there is a shortage of children's Tylenol and ibuprofen. Doctors say the quick start to flu season and a spike in other respiratory illnesses created a demand for these over-the-counter medications.
CVS put a two-product limit on children's pain relief products, and Walgreens is also limiting customers. In addition, prescription antibiotic amoxicillin is also in short supply due to increased demand.
"We have multiple sources to get them from, but we still are having trouble juggling between our multiple avenues that the chains do not have the ability to do," Rosinski said.
When it comes to cold medications, Rosinski encourages people to buy generic if they can't find the name brand.
One question pediatricians get is, "Can I give my child adult cold medicine?"
"If you have a kid less than 11, over-the-counter cold medicines are not recommended. They're definitely not something you should use in a kid less than 6," said Dr. Stacey Cummings, vice chair of outpatient pediatrics at Geisinger.
Dr. Cummings says fevers don't always have to be treated. A lukewarm bath can go a long way.
"Lots of liquids — when you have a fever, you lose more of your fluids, so the more fluids you can drink, the better you will feel."
Experts expect the shortages to last through the holiday season.
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