TULSA, Okla. — Whether it be the flu, RSV, or the common cold, it's all going around and no one is immune to catching seasonal illnesses, but what happens when stores are out of the medicine you need, especially for infants and kids?
"Anything that had the word Tylenol on it was wiped out," said mother, Melanie McLaughlin.
McLaughlin has a three-year-old and a four-month-old. The toddler recently needed Tylenol. After searching half a dozen stores, McLaughlin said she reached out to out-of-state family. Her sister-in-law was able to find it all the way in Chicago. She said she's concerned for her four-month-old who will be getting vaccinations next week.
"They're helpless. You can't do anything for them. The comfort of holding them and rocking them and I mean that's sleepless nights for you, and them not having it, you don't know how many sleepless nights you're going to have," said McLaughlin.
2 News also spoke with Pediatrician, Dr. Theresa Horton. She said if you can't find the medication you need for your child, there are some alternatives that don't involve medications.
"You can do a lukewarm bath," Horton said. "You don't want to do cold, you don't want to do ice, you don't want them to shiver and you don't want the temperature to drop too quickly. You can do lighter weight clothing, you can do cold beverages, and all of those things can bring a temperature down some."
Horton said when they treat children with a fever they're not treating the number, they're treating the child and how they're responding to the fever. She said if you're able to find Tylenol, that is the best.
"Infant Tylenol and Children's Tylenol are the same thing. The difference is the Infant Tylenol comes with a medicine syringe for measuring and administering — and the Children's Tylenol comes with a cup but they're actually the same dosage."
Ibuprofen is not interchangeable. Infant ibuprofen is different from children's ibuprofen. She said when dealing with a sick infant or child, fevers aren't always necessary to treat. She said if you start to notice the child becoming lethargic or not eating and drinking as much, call your pediatrician.
Horton said if you can't find Tylenol or ibuprofen, do not substitute aspirin for anyone under the age of 20. She said in rare cases, giving an infant or child aspirin could lead to fatal consequences.
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