As the number of positive flu cases continues to rise, finding Tamiflu® (or generic oseltamivir) has become a real struggle in Western North Carolina. This is especially true for Tamiflu® suspension for younger children who have been diagnosed with the flu.
If your pharmacy is out of Tamiflu® suspension, and your child meets the criteria below, ask them if they can work with your healthcare provider to get the prescription changed to Tamiflu® capsules. The capsules can be opened and mixed with sweetened liquids such as regular or sugar-free chocolate syrup, corn syrup, caramel topping, or light brown sugar dissolved in water.
Not sure if this is an appropriate solution for your child? Here is a table of the appropriate treatment doses based on the weight of the child.
Children 1 to 12 years of age
| Weight (lbs) | Flu Treatment Dose |
| 33 lbs or less | 30mg capsule twice daily |
| 33.1 lbs to 50.6 lbs | 45mg capsule twice daily |
| 50.7 lbs to 88 lbs | 60mg (2-30mg capsules) twice daily |
| 88.1 lbs or more | 75mg capsule twice daily |
You, as a parent, can help with the shortage of Tamiflu® suspension by asking your provider to write a prescription for capsules if your child meets the above criteria (age and weight). This will allow the remaining Tamiflu® suspension to be utilized by younger children.
If you are trying to protect yourself from the flu, make sure you wash your hands regularly and that you have received your flu shot this year. Sona has plenty of flu vaccine left in stock. Also, check out our previous blogs on Elderberry. The preventative dose of Elderberry syrup for adults is 15 milliliters daily.
Reference:
- Tamiflu® Package Insert. https://www.gene.com/download/pdf/tamiflu_prescribing.pdf
