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sickkids issues letter about children's tylenol and advil shortage

though not meant as a recommendation for the general public, the letter flagging the possibility of not being able to get the pain and fever medication caught the attention of parents and caregivers.

by karen hawthorne

aug 17 2022

3 minute read

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'dear caregiver' letter raises concern about lack of kids' pain meds

in a letter, sickkids advises that parents can buy other forms of acetaminophen or ibuprofen for their child. (peter j thompson)

if your child has a fever and you don’t have pain meds on hand, parents usually head to the local pharmacy for over-the-counter tylenol or advil liquid formulations for kids. but these medications are now in short supply, with delays to put the products on shelves at pharmacies across canada, cbc news reports.

public concern over the matter escalated when sickkids hospital in toronto sent a recent “dear caregiver” letter to parents and caregivers suggesting they get a prescription from their sickkids doctor “to help ensure access” to drugs that contain acetaminophen (tylenol) and ibuprofen (advil). the letter was not meant as a recommendation for the general public, the hospital said in a statement .

because of limited supply, the hospital said some pharmacies might only have the drugs in “large quantities that must be dispensed by a pharmacist” for use at home.

cbc reports that pharmacies across the country are facing a shortage of kids’ acetaminophen and ibuprofen products — and some cold and flu medications — and are not certain about when they might be back in stock.

sickkids advises other forms of acetaminophen and ibuprofen

ontario pharmacists association vice-president jen belcher told cbc that prescriptions aren’t mandatory, but they do make it easier to dispense the correct dosage based on the child’s height and weight. she also said kids of a certain weight who can swallow tablets may be able to use an adult formulation.

in fact, the letter from sickkids advises that parents can buy other forms of acetaminophen or ibuprofen for their child, including chewable tablets, acetaminophen suppositories (there is no ibuprofen equivalent), and cut or crush regular tablets. the hospital has advised parents to discuss dosing with a pharmacist or health-care provider for these alternatives.

advil manufacturer working “tirelessly” to meet demand

advil manufacturer gsk canada said in a statement it is “working tirelessly” to meet demand, according to cbc. and anthony fuchs, a spokesperson for industry group food, health & consumer products of canada, of which tylenol manufacturer johnson & johnson is a member told the canadian press , “there are “pockets” of canada where shortages have happened, but if you can’t find a product at one pharmacy, it’s likely available at another location.”

what is a fever?

a fever is a sign that your body is fighting an illness or infection, stimulating the body’s white blood cells and other “fighter” cells to combat the cause of the infection. a fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4 degrees fahrenheit, or 38 degrees celsius.

a fever that is making your child uncomfortable should be treated, according to stanford medicine , but doing so will not help the body get rid of the infection any faster. and while kids between the ages of six months and five years can develop seizures from fever called febrile seizures, there is no evidence that treating it will reduce the risk of a febrile seizure.

beyond checking their temperature and administering fever medication, you can also dress your child lightly (clothing can trap body heat and cause the temperature to rise), give them plenty of fluids and a lukewarm bath.

when to call your health-care provider about a fever

stanford medicine recommends seeking medical advice if your child: is three-months-old or younger and has a fever of 100.4°f (38°c) or higher, since a fever in a young baby can be a sign of a dangerous infection; is of any age and has repeated fevers above 104°f (40°c); is younger than two years of age and has a fever of 100.4°f (38°c) that lasts for more than one day; or is age two or older and has a fever of 100.4°f (38°c) that lasts for more than three days.

karen hawthorne is a toronto-based writer.

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karen hawthorne

karen hawthorne worked for six years as a digital editor for the national post, contributing articles on health, business, culture and travel for affiliated newspapers across canada. she now writes from her home office in toronto as a freelancer, and takes breaks to bounce with her son on the backyard trampoline and walk bingo, her bull terrier.

sickkids issues letter about children's tylenol and advil shortage

though not meant as a recommendation for the general public, the letter flagging the possibility of not being able to get the pain and fever medication caught the attention of parents and caregivers.

sickkids advises other forms of acetaminophen and ibuprofen

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sickkids issues letter about children's tylenol and advil shortage

though not meant as a recommendation for the general public, the letter flagging the possibility of not being able to get the pain and fever medication caught the attention of parents and caregivers.

sickkids advises other forms of acetaminophen and ibuprofen

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