Stores carrying over-the-counter children's fever-pain medicine experiencing shortages
BALTIMORE - Stores that carry over-the-counter fever and pain medicine for children are struggling with the product flying off the shelves sooner than it can be restocked amid the spread of respiratory viruses.
Pediatricians are treating children for a COVID-19 resurgence, flu and RSV.
With people planning to gather for the upcoming holiday, medical experts believe cases will only climb.
"We expect after Christmas when everybody's getting together that those numbers will go up, so I think it's just going to be a really rough winter, and maybe February we'll see some relief," said Dr. Dana Silver, a pediatrician with Sinai Hospital.
The pain and fever-reducing medicines for children that have been difficult to keep stocked at some stores include Motrin, Tylenol and Ibuprofen.
"I think that kids are just running through the medication quicker and I think that there's just been a short supply because the pharmaceutical companies didn't anticipate such a high need," said Dr. Silver.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration urges consumers not to stockpile the product.
Recently, some pharmacy chains, including CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens, began limiting purchases of certain children's fever relief medications.
Still, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association said there is not a widespread shortage.
Dr. Silver adds that if you find yourself coming up empty-handed at the store, there are ways to lower a fever from home.
"They don't have to panic when their child gets a fever and immediately bring it down. You can use the regular home remedies: drinking cool fluids, dressing their child lightly, a lukewarm washcloth on the face," said Dr. Silver.
Medical experts also explained not to resort to using adult fever-reducing medications without clearing it with a pediatrician first.
For updates on case counts by a virus, the Maryland Department of Health keeps track through individual dashboards:
- Influenza - Updated every Friday
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus - Updated every Thursday
- COVID-19 - Updated each business day at 10 a.m.
