Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch

     Vitamin Sea, Beach Please, Halo-Halo, Graduation, and a whole lot more means one thing- Summer! Summer is here and everybody is on full vacation mode. I know a lot of you are going to the beach this month or heading to your most-awaited overseas trip while some will just do their vacation at their homes. It's a season full of relaxation and enjoyment but there are things that we should take in consideration while we are on vacation.

     Summer is fun but the scorching heat can be a problem for some. 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. Don’t let cough and allergies stop you and your kids from enjoying the sunny season. Sharing with you below the highlights of what we learned from the Expert Moms Get Expert Help from GSK this Summer event held at the Patio of Makati Shangri-la last March 30, 2016 below :)

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch

     During the event, experts from GSK explained to us the difference of cough and allergy plus we also learned how to make our own bento boxes from Kat Maderazo of Bento by Kat. Well, bento box is a fun way of preparing kids' meal. I presume that you've seen different bento box designs and some of them are too cute to eat. The event was hosted by one of the GSK mom experts- Rica Peralejo Bonifacio.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
Dra. Shiela Chua, Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio, and Kat Maderazo

     It was a fun afternoon because of this bento making class. It's my first time to make a bento box and I think I'll be doing it from time to time now that I've learned different tips and tricks from Kat Maderzo. Look at my bento box, isn't it to cute to eat? Bento box is a sure and fun way to let picky eaters eat healthy and nutritious food, right?!

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
My black cat bento box :)

     Rica is a GSK expert mom and during the event she shared to us some of her experiences on how she handle her son's cough and colds and how to combat allergies. His husband is prone to allergies that's why she gave us tips and what medicine to use should the need arise.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
GSK Expert Mom Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio

“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.

     Sharing with you the difference between cough and allergy below and what are the important things you should consider if you or your kids encounter these diseases this season. It's important to know the difference so that proper medication will be given to the patient. 

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
Mascots Allergenius and Barry the Berry

Cough and Colds

• 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. 

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.

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
Ambrolex 7.5 mg/ml Oral drops for kids
Ambrolex OD 75 mg Capsule for adults

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.
• 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. 

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign LaunchVirlix® (Cetirizine)

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch
 Dr. Sheila Chua, GSK’s Medical Affairs Manager

“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.”

    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. Thank you to GSK for having me and for sharing all the tips on how to protect my family from cough and colds and allergies. I know that this diseases can be prevented but not all the time. 

Expert Moms and GSK's Virlix and Ambrolex Summer Campaign Launch

     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

Good Times!~