Ontario is experiencing a "significant shortage" of children's medications, prompting pharmacists to control the supply and recommend splitting adult doses for children, according to the Ontario Pharmacists Association.

"We are at a stage where there really are no liquid or chewable medications available for purchase from pharmacies, putting them in a somewhat significant shortage," said Jean Belcher, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Member Relations at the Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA), to CTV News Toronto.

About a month ago, Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children began warning parents that some pharmacies are dealing with shortages of liquid Tylenol and Advil.

However, they had larger bottles of the medications available and asked families to get prescriptions so pharmacists could redistribute the medicine into smaller bottles.

Belcher also stated: "Currently, as a pharmacist, I can't even purchase those large bottles that we usually keep behind the counter. So, what is available in the field now is what is available. We have had discussions with some manufacturers, and the messages we have received are that production is ongoing at various facilities and has not been cut, but due to the sharp increase in demand, we are witnessing this shortage."

At this time, SickKids told CTV News Toronto that they are able to "maintain adequate supplies" while continuing to "closely monitor the situation" as a temporary measure. Belcher also said she hopes to see a return to normal supply levels by mid to late fall.

Meanwhile, the OPA recommends pharmacists sell only one or two bottles at a time to prevent hoarding. At some pharmacies, Belcher said they are making their own versions of Tylenol and Advil for children by mixing raw ingredients to manufacture a similar product.

Another option is cutting adult swallowable tablets into smaller doses, as Belcher said children under two or three years old weighing between 24 and 35 pounds can take half an adult tablet, and children can take a quarter. While acknowledging that swallowing a tablet may be challenging for younger children, there is also the option to crush the medicine and mix it into apple juice or chocolate syrup.