Some parents are struggling to find over-the-counter medicine for their children with respiratory infections.

Kurt Hecker, of Deer Park, traveled to four different pharmacies Thursday searching for medication for his daughter.

He was finally able to find what he needed at New Island Pharmacy in Deer Park but even there, there were empty spots on the shelves.

Pharmacist Nidhin Mohan says he spends half of his job checking to see if there are drugs that parents are searching for.

"One-third of my phone calls were just people asking me whether I have Tylenol, whether I have Tamiflu, whether I have Motrin," Mohan, the supervising pharmacist at New Island Pharmacy said.

Pediatrician Dr. John Zaso says he sees over 100 children a day with some combination of respiratory illnesses.

Zaso says children are getting sick from the flu, RSV and COVID-19 because their immune systems are not revved up yet since the beginning of the pandemic.

"We've been masking for two years, what that does over time, is that it down regulates your immune system," Zaso said. "So what happens now is that we remove the masks now that most of the quarantine is over, your immune system has not been exposed to different infections over time, so you're more susceptible."

The Long Island pediatrician says adult medications should not be used as an alternative for children.

He also says it's not too late to get the flu shot.

There is also a shortage of some prescription drugs, like amoxicillin.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working with pharmaceutical companies to get more product out there.