Can’t find Tylenol for kids? You might not need it, doctors say

There are growing concerns about a shortage of children’s Tylenol as America faces rising cases of a common respiratory virus and the flu. On top of that, COVID-19 is still circulating in communities.

The combination of the three viruses has been dubbed by some in the medical community as a “triple epidemic”, and it is driving consumer demand for children’s cold, flu and pain products.

However, medical professionals tell FOX Business that drugs aren’t always necessary. In some cases, it is prudent to let a child out of a low fever.

Dr. Darshan Patel, section chief of pediatric emergency medicine at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in New York City, told FOX Business that the hospital typically begins to see cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) highly contagious between October and December, followed by a wave of influenza cases between December and February. Now medical professionals are now seeing both viruses at the same time, leading to an increase in viral illnesses from October.

“Starting at October [and] In November, we started to see an increase in viral illnesses, which is to be expected,” at the start of the school year, Patel said. “But the numbers were much higher this year because we’re seeing both RSV and influenza hit at the same time,” he added.

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson told FOX Business that children’s Tylenol and children’s Motrin “may be less readily available in some stores” due to high demand from the “extremely difficult” cold and fever season. influenza.

The company says it is doing everything in its power to ensure consumers have access to these products, including maximizing production capacity, operating 24/7 locations, and “continuously shipping” products, the drugmaker said.

Teleprinter	Security	Last	To change	To change %
JNJ	JOHNSON & JOHNSON	175.74	-1.46	-0.82%
SVC	CVS HEALTH CORP.	101.65	-0.88	-0.86%
GDR	RITE AID CORP.	4.44	+0.04	+0.91%

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CVS told FOX Business that it is seeing increased demand for cold, flu and pain products, but is working with its suppliers “to ensure continued access to these items.” If a store has a “temporary shortage of product,” CVS says its teams have a process in place to replenish supply.

Rite Aid, which is facing constraints on children’s Tylenol due to an ingredient supply chain issue, told FOX Business that its pharmacists are readily available “to provide recommendations on equivalent products and alternative treatment options”.

The pharmacy chain also offers pediatric products that are not affected by the shortages, such as Genexa Kid’s Pain and Fever and Kindermed Kid’s Pain and Fever.

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Mild fevers

If the child has a low fever and is feeling well, i.e. playing or drinking fluids, “it is normal not to treat the fever with antipyretics or antipyretic medicines. fever such as acetaminophen or ibuprophen,” Patel said.

If “you have a viral infection, fever is your friend,” he added. “The body normally acts to raise the temperature to help fight the viral infection internally.”

Dr. Kathy Merritt, a pediatrician at Chapel Hill Pediatrics in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, agrees, telling FOX Business that “fevers kill germs.”

“I don’t need the temperature to drop unless the child is uncomfortable, unless the child cannot consume fluids, or unless the child has a history of febrile seizures “, which are seizures associated with a high temperature in another healthy child, according to Merritt.

An otherwise healthy child’s body will “take care of itself” and essential “reduce the temperature enough to be safe”, she said.

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High grade fevers

On the other hand, if a child has a high fever, which Dr. Patel considers to be at least 101 degrees, parents should work to keep their child hydrated and fever controlled, which includes use of drugs. However, “antibiotics are not always necessary,” he added.

To cool a child, parents can remove excess clothing or blankets, and they can also put cool compresses under their armpits, according to Patel. One thing he doesn’t recommend are cold baths.

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Merritt said parents can also lower the temperature in a household.

In terms of medication, parents should keep an eye out for generic medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen rather than brand name medications such as Tylenol, Advil or Motrin, according to Patel.

Merritt said generic drugs “tended to be better stocked in some stores.”

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