( CNN ) -- Parents of young children who get the flu may have a hard time finding an antiviral drug to help treat them . Genentech , which makes the antiviral known as Tamiflu Oral Suppression ( Tamiflu OS ) , the liquid version of the drug , says there have been temporary delays in new shipments . Read More : 5 ways to protect your child in flu season . `` We experienced an increase in demand due to a higher prevalence of influenza Type B in the season , '' Genentech spokeswoman Tara Iannuccillo said in an e-mail . `` We are working to expedite new shipments of Tamiflu OS to distributors as new supplies become available . '' Tamilflu OS is typically prescribed for children younger than 13 or for people who have trouble swallowing pills . It is the only flu drug for infants approved by the Food and Drug Administration . The FDA granted that approval for infant use in December . Some 30 million children worldwide -- 6.9 million in the United States -- have received a prescription for it since Tamiflu was first approved in the United States over 13 years ago , according to Genentech . Given within the first couple of days of infection , it can ease flu symptoms and shorten the duration of the illness . Read More : Flu leads to teen 's death . There have been some shortages of the drug at pharmacies , said Mike DeAngelis , a spokesman for CVS Caremark Corp . However , there is an alternative for children , he said . `` Patients can speak to their pharmacist about the option of having the pharmacy compound Tamiflu capsules into a liquid , '' DeAngelis said in an e-mail . Walgreens spokesman Jim Cohn said it , too , has experienced some shortages . But pharmacists can `` compound as needed to continue filling prescriptions for the liquid Tamiflu to meet the needs of patients during this flu season , '' he said . A pharmacist , for instance , would be able to take the capsule version of the drug and suspend it in Ora-Sweet to make a liquid version of the drug . Ora-Sweet is a sweet and thick syrup that is the base of many liquid versions of children 's medicine . There is an adequate supply of the capsule form of Tamiflu , according to the manufacturer . There have been shortages of the capsule in the past , particularly during the H1N1 pandemic in 2009 , and another shortage in 2011 . `` The FDA is continuing to monitor this closely and will post information on our website . We are also working with the company to increase supplies , '' said Sarah Clark-Lynn , a spokewoman from the FDA Office of Public Affairs . Map of state-by-state flu numbers . If you have the flu , how are you treating it ? Send photos of your flu survival kits .
There are temporary delays in new shipments of Tamiflu , the drug maker says . The company is also delaying a trial for its antiviral drug, Zovirax, which has been linked to an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome and other illnesses this year. Pharmacists can make a compound with the capsule version , which is in good supply .