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(CNN) --
At Grant's Pass Pharmacy in southern Oregon, there are only a few boxes of children's paracetamol and ibuprofen left, and pharmacist Michele Belcher says she can't ask for more.
Belcher says he orders these drugs from one of the "big three" wholesalers: McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen.
When he checked the availability of these pain relievers and fever reducers this week, out of 40 products of different flavors, sizes and strengths, none were available.
"No paracetamol or ibuprofen was available today," Belcher said Wednesday.
Across the country, the rise in influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children and the ongoing covid-19 pandemic have led to high demand for basic medicines to reduce fever and control pain.
Shortages of antivirals and antibiotics add to the stress of a complex season of respiratory infections in children
With so many parents searching for these drugs at the same time, store shelves have emptied in some areas.
Belcher runs an independent community pharmacy, but chain stores are suffering as well.
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Kroger says its inventory is limited, and it is working to manage supply.
Rite Aid says it is working closely with its suppliers "to meet demand and mitigate shortages where possible."
Walmart and Walgreens say that despite the increase in demand, they are still able to meet customer needs.
The Consumer Health Products Association, which represents manufacturers of over-the-counter drugs, says the problem is not widespread and manufacturers are doing everything they can to get more products on the shelves.
However, she acknowledges that parents in some areas may have trouble finding the medications they need.
"Manufacturers are producing at capacity and directing product inventory to where it is needed most. However, we understand that it can be frustrating for parents not being able to quickly locate these products at their local pharmacy or retailer due to intermittent lack of availability. ".
"Parents may have to make a few stops to find what they need and should also consider other self-care alternatives to aid comfort and relief under the direction of their healthcare provider," the group said in a statement.
What to do if you can't find pediatric medications
Pediatricians say there are some strategies parents can use to help their child feel better, even if they can't find the medicine they're looking for.
Ibuprofen or paracetamol to reduce fever in children?
First, it's not always necessary to reduce a fever with medication, especially if the child is otherwise well, says Dr. Maureen Ahmann, a pediatrician at the Cleveland Clinic.
"If a child is happy, eating and drinking, and has a 100-degree fever, there's no reason to give them Tylenol or Motrin," he says.
For children older than two months, there is no magic number from which to treat fever.
When the numbers rise, a temperature of 40 or 40.5°C may seem worrisome, but children are usually fine even with fevers that high.
If it is a baby under two months, things change.
Any temperature above 38°C is considered worrisome and means the child should be checked in person by a doctor.
Other factors she takes into account when evaluating a fever are the child's vaccination status — she's much less concerned about children who are up-to-date on their vaccinations, including those for covid-19 and flu — and how long the fever has lasted.
The general rule is that a fever that lasts more than five days requires further evaluation.
However, if your child is lying down and does not look well, or if his ears or sinuses hurt, you should treat his discomfort, even if the fever is not very high.
If liquid medications, which are typically given to children, are out of stock, Ahmann recommends looking into suppositories, which are capsules that are inserted into a child's rectum and dissolved.
It is also a good option for children who cannot keep food or liquid down.
Another possibility is to divide the ibuprofen or paracetamol from adults to give them to children, dosing them based on their weight.
In Canada, a country that has been suffering from a shortage of pediatric medicines for months, pharmacists at the University of Toronto and its affiliated children's hospital, SickKids, created a chart to show parents how to do it safely.
The tablets, not the powder or gel capsules, can be crushed and added to a little applesauce or chocolate syrup to mask the taste.
However, it is very important not to give children too much medication, and a medical professional should be consulted before giving the first dose.
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"For people who aren't familiar with this, I would suggest they make sure they consult someone who is," says Dr. Anna Banerji, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto.
You can also look for a local compounding pharmacist who is trained to custom mix drugs for patients.
They may be able to make the medicine you need.
Non-pharmacological options can also be used to make children feel comfortable.
If a child has an earache, you can apply a warm, wet compress to the outside of the ear to ease the discomfort until it can be treated.
Holding the child upright also helps reduce pressure on the ears, which will increase if she has her head propped up on a pillow or in the crib.
Finally, children are more at risk of dehydration when they have a fever because they lose more fluids when their temperatures are elevated, Ahmann explains.
Plus, they tend not to want to drink as much, "so you have to insist that they drink fluids," she explains.
Ahmann recommends giving an electrolyte sports drink, but cutting it down in half with water.
Sports drinks are high in sugar, which can give kids diarrhea and worsen dehydration, he explains.
You can also hydrate them with water-based foods, such as popsicles or flavored Jell-O, if they don't feel like drinking.
What not to do
There are also some important things you shouldn't do if you can't find the medication you need.
First of all, never give aspirin to anyone under 18 years of age.
Ahmann says she has received messages and calls from parents asking if they can give their children aspirin instead of paracetamol or ibuprofen.
"It's called baby aspirin, but it's not for little ones," she explains.
Aspirin given to children during a viral illness has been linked to a rare but serious condition called Reye's syndrome, which causes inflammation of the liver and brain.
Is it good to take an aspirin a day?
Updated guidelines from a group of experts do not recommend it for most
Also, warm baths are fine, but it's not a good idea to put a child with a fever in a cold bath, Ahmann says.
Rarely, fever can trigger seizures in children.
This usually happens when the temperature rises rapidly.
A cold bath lowers their body temperature but doesn't reset their internal thermometer, so when they get out, a cold bath can trigger a rapid rise in temperature that increases the chance of seizures, he says.
A better idea is to apply cold compresses to the forehead, neck, and even under the armpits to ease discomfort.
Shortage of medicinesInfluenza