Shortage of children's drugs hits as flu season gets off to a quick start

By Tom Murphy.
The Associated Press

Caring for sick children has recently become very stressful for many American parents due to shortages of children’s Tylenol and other medications.

Doctors and other experts say the problem could persist through the winter cold and flu season, but isn’t expected to last as long as other recent formula or prescription drug shortages.

They also say parents have alternatives if they encounter empty store shelves.

Here is an overview:

What is happening?

An unusually rapid start to the annual flu season in the United States, along with a spike in other respiratory illnesses, has created a surge in demand for fever reducers and other products people can buy without a prescription.

“There are more sick children at this time of year than we’ve seen in the past two years,” said Dr. Shannon Dillon, a pediatrician at Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis.

Experts say this is the main factor behind the shortages, which vary across the country and even within communities.

“At this point, it’s more like toilet paper at the start of the pandemic (COVID-19), Dillon said. “You just have to look in the right place at the right time.”

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson says it is not experiencing a widespread shortage of children’s Tylenol, but the product may be “less readily available” in some stores. The company said it operates its production lines around the clock.

Meanwhile, CVS Health has imposed a two-product limit on all children’s pain relief products purchased from its pharmacies or online.

Walgreens is limiting online customers to six purchases of children’s over-the-counter fever relief products. This limit does not apply in stores.

Besides over-the-counter products, the prescription antibiotic amoxicillin is also in short supply due to increased demand, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The drug is often used to treat nose and throat infections in children.

What to do

Check in-store alternatives first if certain products are not available. Generic versions of branded products are “perfectly safe and often a much more affordable option,” Dillon said.

Other nearby stores may also have better options. Manufacturers say there is no widespread national shortage of these drugs, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

A family doctor can find out which stores have decent supplies.

A doctor may also be able to tell parents if they can try alternatives such as crushing the correct dose of a pill version and mixing it with food or chocolate syrup. Doctors say parents or caregivers shouldn’t try it alone, as it can be difficult to determine appropriate doses for children.

“You don’t need to experiment at home,” said Dr. Sarah Nosal, a South Bronx family physician. “Your family doctor wants to talk to you and see you. »

GO WITHOUT

Doctors also warn that fevers don’t always have to be treated. They are the body’s natural defense against infection and they prevent a virus from replicating.

Dillon noted, for example, that a fever may not be inherently harmful for older children. However, parents should take a newborn under 2 months to the doctor if the child has a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher. And doctors say any child with a fever should be monitored for any changes in behavior.

Instead of medication, consider bathing the child in lukewarm water. Cold water makes the body shiver, which can actually raise the temperature.

Put fans in the child’s room or install a cool mist humidifier to help their lungs.

Nosal also said that two teaspoons of honey can help control coughs in children over the age of one. Avoid using honey for young children as it carries a risk of infant botulism.

WHEN WILL SUPPLIES IMPROVE?

Shortages could last in some communities until early next year.

Solving them may depend on whether there are enough workers in warehouses and stores to deliver product and stock shelves, Erin Fox noted. She researches drug shortages and is senior director of pharmacy at the University of Utah Health, which operates five hospitals.

Fox said there were no issues at the factories or a lack of ingredients contributing to the current shortages. These obstacles can lead to long interruptions in supply.

“I don’t expect it to last a year or more like some of our other shortages do,” she said.

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