Expert Moms Get Expert Help from GSK this Summer
Don’t let cough
and allergies stop you and your kids from enjoying the sunny season
30 March 2016, Manila, Philippines -- Summer is here and everybody is on
full vacation mode! But whether you are going to the beach, headed to an
exciting overseas trip or just staying home for some bonding time with family
and friends, remember that the scorching heat isn’t the only thing you should worry
about.
The
rise in temperature brings with it a variety of diseases and exposes us and our
kids to a lot of environmental triggers that can ruin our fun in the sun.
GETTING TOUGH ON COUGH
Summer
break is always a great time to yank your kids away from their mobile phones,
tablets and gaming consoles and let them loose for some physical activities and
exercise. Playing outdoors is a great way to get them to be more active and serves
as an opportunity for them to socialize with other children. Moms, however,
should be cautious with their children’s playmates especially if one or several
of them are coughing.
Cough
and colds are quite common even during the summer because of erratic weather
patterns that causes a shift in temperature.
Coughing
is a natural reflex and is usually a sign that your child's body is trying to
rid itself of an irritant, such as mucus or a foreign object. The most common
cause of cough in kids is an upper respiratory tract infection from one of more
than 100 cold viruses1. Other common causes of cough include
infection, asthma, allergies/sinusitis or pollution.
Although
cough is quite common, having a kid with cough is something you should take
seriously as it may easily be passed on to other children with weakened immune
systems. Cough caused by viral infections may result in fever, headache, and
pains.
Transmission
may happen when an individual makes direct contact with an infected individual,
or even infected surfaces such as doorknobs, computer keyboards, and gadgets
and then touching their nose and mouth.
There
are generally two kinds of cough; dry cough and productive cough (cough with
phlegm)2.
For
productive cough, pediatricians can recommend protussives such as Ambrolex®
(Ambroxol), to enable the cough to get rid of excess mucus in the airways3.
Unfortunately,
a lot of cough medicines have a bitter aftertaste, which children dislike and
often spit out, making medicine time difficult for moms. Ambrolex®,
however, has a sweet blackcurrant flavor that kids will love, making cough
medicine time easier for moms, and allowing their children to get better,
faster.
Should
moms or their husbands also suffer from cough, Ambrolex® comes in
thrice-a-day tablet and once-a-day capsule formats for adults that are both easy
on the budget.
READY FOR ALLERGIES
Another
common problem of children during summer is allergies. To have allergies is to
have the body’s immune system overreact to foreign substances or even a change
in the environment.
When
the body detects a foreign or potentially harmful substance, it produces
antibodies and histamine, which are then released into the blood stream to
fight it off. At that point, an inflammatory reaction happens. Some of the common
symptoms of allergy are asthma-like symptom such as rapid, shallow breathing,
wheezing, and cough. Other symptoms that can be observed are sneezing, itchiness,
or development of rashes4.
Allergic
reactions may also be triggered by allergens or substances that can be found in
food such as peanuts, milk, eggs, seafood, etc. A lot of children also develop
allergies to plants, pets, house dust mites, mold spores, or medications,
especially antibiotics4.
Of
course, allergies are not limited to children -- moms and their husbands can
develop allergies too. When allergy happens, use the antihistamine that is
trusted for 20 years, Virlix® (Cetirizine). It contains Cetirizine,
an antihistamine that helps you manage the symptoms of your family’s allergies.
“Allergies don’t have to ruin your family’s summer fun. All you have to do is take note of what causes allergies among your family members and try to avoid them, so as to manage your allergy symptoms”, says Dr. Sheila Chua, GSK’s Medical Affairs Manager, and a practicing Dermatologist. “It also helps to always have a trusted allergy medication in your bag whenever you travel so you can easily address the symptoms of allergies when they occur.”
GSK EXPERT MOMS
Led
by celebrity-host and Expert Mom herself Rica Peralejo, the campaign seeks to
educate mothers on how to correctly and promptly address cough and allergies for
the entire family.
“As a mom, I want to make sure that
summer would become a memorable time for the whole family. My husband and I always
make sure we take care of ourselves first so we can take care of our son,
Philip. Being in tip-top shape allows our whole family to have the best summer
and enjoy our vacations. Of course our priority is to keep Philip healthy, so
we always make sure we are prepared with the necessary medications whenever we
travel just in case he gets sick.
I think being an Expert Mom is all
about ensuring that the whole family is happy, healthy, and free from disease.
I’m very happy to be part of the Expert Moms campaign because I think it’s
exciting to meet other moms who are keen on keeping themselves healthy in order
to take care of their families,” says Rica.
Sources:
1.
MF
Cotton, et al. Management of upper respiratory tract infections in children. S
Afr Fam Pract (2004). 2008 ; 50(2): 6–12
3.
Rubin,
B. Mucolytics, Expectorants, and Mucokinetic Medications.
Respiratory Care (2007). 57(7): 859-865.
4. WebMD. What causes
chronic allergies? 2015. http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/chronic-allergies-causes
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