School year officially ends last March 30.. graduate na si Kuya ng elemtary!! May high school student na akooo waaaah. It was alo Sati’s moving up ceremony.. she’ll be Grade 1 this coming school year! Ang bilis talaga ng panahon no?

Summer time na talaga and alam nyo yan, summer means swimming and more time to play! But whether you’re going to the beach, going out of the country or just staying at home with your family, tandaan na hindi lang ang init (at laki ng electric bill) ang dapat nating ipag worry. In a recent event sponsored by GSK, moms were given expert advice on how not to let cough and allergies stop their family from enjoying the sunny season.

GETTING TOUGH ON COUGH

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.

Most common cause of cough:

• upper respiratory tract infection from one of more than 100 cold viruses1
• infection
• asthma
• allergies/sinusitis or pollution

Cough is quite common but when a cough is caused by a viral infection, it can be passed on to other kids. It can be passed 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:

• food such as peanuts, milk, eggs, seafood
• plants
• pets
• house dust mites
• mold spores
• 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.

To know more and share tips on how to be an Expert Mom, visit: www.facebook.com/MommyDoc

About GSK
GSK is one of the world’s leading, research-based pharmaceutical companies with the mission to improve the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. At the core of GSK’s business model is the use of knowledge and development of intellectual property. We create value by researching, manufacturing and making available products that improve people’s health and well-being. A healthier society enables people to live life to the fullest, allowing them and their communities to prosper. A sustained flow of innovative products enables our business to grow and replenish our value to patients and consumers.