Some children’s medications in short supply as cases of flu, RSV and COVID-19 rise

ROCKVILLE, Md. - If you have a sick child who needs over the counter medicine, you may have to visit several pharmacies to find it.

FOX 5's Ayesha Khan says some children's medications are flying off the shelves this year. Health officials are blaming the early on-set of the flu season in addition to COVID-19 and RSV cases.

Over the counter medicines like infant and children's Tylenol are hard to find. But officials at Johnson and Johnson say, while they're witnessing high demand the company "isn't experiencing widespread shortages." However, the medicine might be scarce at some retailers.

Some pediatricians say there are more sick kids this time of year than they have seen in the past couple of years. In the meantime, CVS Health has placed a two-product limit on all children's pain relief products bought through its pharmacies or online, Khan says.

According to the FDA, aside from over-the-counter products, the prescription antibiotic amoxicillin is also in short supply because of increased demand. The drug is often used to treat nose and throat infections in children.

How long will these shortages last? Health experts believe that in some communities it could be until early next year. That timeframe also depends on whether there are enough workers at warehouses and stores to deliver the product and stock the shelves.