What to do if you can’t find children’s pain reliever

The shortage of children’s over-the-counter medicines can cause stress and confusion for parents. Akron Children’s pediatrician Dr. Sarah Adams shares what you can do if you can’t find children’s pain reliever.

To help make your child more comfortable, you can try using a cool compress or giving a lukewarm bath, Dr. Adams suggests.

If you need medication, and are having a hard time finding what you usually use, Dr. Adams recommends the following to keep your child safe and comfortable:

• Consider using generic versions or other brands.
• Try other formulations: For kids over 2, a chewable version may work. Suppositories are also an option.
• Use a different child version of the med you usually use. For example, if you usually use children’s ibuprofen and you can only find infant ibuprofen, use that. Just remember the concentration for ibuprofen is not the same so the amount of liquid you give won’t be the same.
• Push fluids. Higher temperatures usually mean higher fluid demands from the body.
• Don’t use a multi-symptom cold medication (these contain other ingredients, which we don’t usually recommend in kids).
• Do not use adult versions of these medications by cutting pills or opening capsules unless your doctor OKs it. These meds are safe in the correct doses, but overdoses are dangerous.
• Don’t use aspirin.
• Avoid panic buying – it makes things worse, and some places are limiting purchases per family.
• Don’t use homeopathic fever reducers. The data really isn’t there, and these products are not regulated.

If you’re concerned about your child’s symptoms, fever or have questions about medication, contact their pediatrician. Need a pediatrician? Learn more about our providers.