As parents face a “tripledemic” of RSV, the flu, and COVID-19 hitting kids hard this winter, many are also facing empty shelves at the pharmacy.
Steven Blatt, MD, is the medical director of general pediatrics at SUNY Upstate, and he has seen a massive spike in RSV and the flu over the past few months.
"Children are getting hammered with these viruses,” he said. “Way worse than before."
That’s leading to a shortage of common over the counter medications, like children’s Tylenol or Motrin. Blatt said he’s advising parents to buy generic brands instead or to check multiple locations. However, Blatt said he does not advise using adult medications for kids.
"You have to make sure you're getting the proper dose of medication, so certainly for young children, that would not be appropriate,” said Blatt. “We don't want people cutting pills or opening up capsules."
Parents can also consider using home remedies to help kids, like pushing fluids, using a humidifier, and giving them some extra TLC. He said most respiratory viruses do not require putting kids through a long wait at an urgent care center or emergency room.
"Unless it's a life threatening situation, it's always better to call your physician and get advice, because the vast majority of the time, parents can stay at home," Blatt said.
There are also shortages of some antibiotics, like Amoxicillin. Blatt said if parents bring a prescription to their pharmacy, and it’s not available, it’s a good idea to reach back out to your doctor’s office for help.
“You can have a five year old, where the mother says, 'Yes, order the liquid.' We order the liquid, they don't have it, but they might have a chewable,” said Blatt. “We can stay within the same antibiotic but just a different formulation."
Blatt said anything parents can do to prevent getting the viruses to begin with is a good idea. That includes wearing a mask while numbers are high, stressing hand washing, and getting vaccinated.
"It's not too late to get the flu vaccine, and it's not too late to get COVID vaccine,” he said. “These vaccines work. They are safe, and they prevent a tremendous amount of illness."
And if your kids are sick, keep them home to prevent further spread in the community.
