After months of extreme heat, it’s a fact that sweltering hot weather conditions can trigger cold symptoms. Additionally, the pollution that is perennial everywhere can also be a potential trigger for this.
It wouldn’t be surprising then if children suddenly wake up with a clogged or runny nose, itchy watery eyes, and sneezing. Unfortunately, what starts as a common cold symptom when not treated and managed immediately, can progress to complications like otitis media and pneumonia, to name a few.
It is said that children, especially the younger ones can experience up to 8 episodes of the common cold per year. The cold virus—which can be transmitted through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes and through direct contact with contaminated surfaces—is widespread in children between 2 to 12 years old. For instance, kids are frequently around a lot of people and spend most of their time in daycare or school and are in close contact with their classmates who are infected can unknowingly catch the virus through playing, and exchanging pencils, toys, and other things.
Prevention is better than cure and here are ways to protect children from contracting the virus:
1. Wearing a mask when going to school or when simply going out will help protect or shield them.
2. When it comes to practical, doable measures to prevent colds, teaching children to develop good hygiene habits is key. Encourage them to wash their hands as often as possible. Washing with soap and water or using a hand sanitizer after playtime could help curb the infection. Remind them to cover their mouth when they cough, sneeze, and using a tissue when blowing their noses can help prevent the spread of the common cold.
3. Adequate rest and quality sleep are essential for strengthening a child’s immunity, helping them to prevent getting sick.
4. Keeping them hydrated by encouraging them to drink plenty of water, milk, or juices is important.
5. At home, household surfaces such as tables, countertops, toilets, and utensils should be always disinfected and kept clean.
6. Strengthen a child’s immune system with essential vitamins, a nutritious diet, and an active lifestyle.
Parents should always be proactive in providing medications to help relieve the symptoms of the common cold, such as nasal congestion and runny nose, while preventing further progression and spread of infection; Thus, having quick relief that works in as fast as 15 minutes, readily available in the family medicine cabinet at the onset of a child’s colds is essential.
At the first sign of colds, Phenylephrine HCl + Chlorphenamine Maleate (Disudrin®) plays an important role, as its two main ingredients work together to provide relief – combined with a proper diet and a healthy lifestyle. Phenylephrine HCl helps clear nasal congestion for easier breathing, while Chlorphenamine Maleate is an anti-allergy that helps ease runny nose, sneezing, and itchy, watery eyes.
The good news is, Phenylephrine HCl + Chlorphenamine Maleate (Disudrin®), the number one and most pedia-prescribed colds medicine for kids, is an over-the-counter medicine that brings quick relief at the first onset of colds, alleviating symptoms in as fast as 15 minutes, along with proper diet and exercise.
Phenylephrine HCl + Chlorphenamine Maleate (Disudrin®) is available at leading local drugstore chains nationwide, and can also be conveniently purchased on Lazada, Shopee, and Tiktok Shop.
To know more about Phenylephrine HCl + Chlorphenamine Maleate (Disudrin®), check out its website, https://www.unilab.com.ph/products/disudrin, and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DisudrinPH.
If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
ASC Reference Code: U0199P102325D
* Source: PMDI, IQVIA SOLUTIONS PHILIPPINES, INC. reprinted with permission. Systemic nasal preps in D – ORAL LIQUID ORDINARY with Patient Group = Less than 1 year old, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 11 years, 12 to 19 years among PEDIATRICIAN. MAT JUNE 2025 (July 2024 -June 2025). Systemic nasal preps in D – ORAL LIQUID ORDINARY in counting units, dosage units and container units covering the period MAT JUNE 2025 (July 2024 -June 2025). Systemic nasal preps in D – ORAL LIQUID ORDINARY in values covering the period MAT JUNE 2025 (July 2024 -June 2025) for both the most prescribed and No.1 claim.
References:
• American Lung Association. (n.d.). Facts about the common cold. Retrieved June 3, 2025, from https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/facts about-the-common-cold
• Monto, A. S., & Ullman, B. M. (1968). Acute respiratory illness in an American community: The Tecumseh study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 87(2), 419–432. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a120616 • Unilab. (n.d.-a). Disudrin® FAQs. Retrieved June 3, 2025, from https://www.unilab.com.ph/disudrin/faqs
• Unilab. (n.d.-b). Kids and colds: Symptoms and treatment. Retrieved June 3, 2025, from https://www.unilab.com.ph/health-tips/kids-and-colds:-symptoms,-treatment
INQUIRER.net BrandRoom/JC