I lost my mom to cancer a few years back so you can pretty much consider me “allergic” to all things sickness. It’s pretty tough what my family and mom went through. I really don’t want it to happen again nor let my kids be anywhere near that kind of situation. So yes, I storm the heavens everyday, every night praying for good health for my loved ones and for them to be protected from illnesses.

Save for one severe urticaria incident that had us staying in the hospital for a couple of nights, we are fortunate that the visits we’ve been making for the past years are our monthly pediatric check ups for both kids. Liana was 2 years old back then and I was pregnant to Juano when she was admitted. Her hives had gone pretty bad so it was best to seek professional help and make sure the hives won’t do more damage than the discomfort it was already giving my poor, helpless daughter. In spite of that, I feel we were still lucky because the situation could’ve been worse. From that day on, I knew as a mom that staying a few steps ahead, and being well informed can protect your family from harm. You win half the battle by knowing.

As I write this, a friend from our chat group is asking for blood donors for her friend’s husband who is in the hospital for Dengue. This viral disease continues to affect our country rapidly and the sad part, our country is misinformed when it comes to Dengue management. GlaxoSmithKlein (GSK) takes this issue seriously so they have commissioned a survey to find ways to make people more informed and able to manage this life threatening disease, thus becoming Allied Against Dengue.

According to the survey, 17% of Filipinos believe that Dengue is more serious in adults than in children. I’m no expert, but I’m a mom and when I see that my kids can’t sleep because say of a persistent cough, my heart is broken into pieces. Imagine if it’s fever, muscle and joint aches accompanied by a headache, rashes, and bleeding. Unlike us adults who have better pain toleration and management, our children may not even be able to explicate. Dengue is serious in both adults and children but this makes it harder and riskier for our little ones. There is also the possibility of misdiagnosis if we do not identify and manage such symptoms correctly. I feel, as parents we need to know more about the symptoms and take it seriously to be able to manage dengue from the get-go.

Dengue has no cure. And 80% of Filipinos believe that there is one. No specific medicine or antibiotics can cure it and 69% of Filipinos believe that antibiotics are a must. So what has to be addressed are the symptoms. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the only recommended medication for dengue fever management is paracetamol as it helps control the fever and bring pain relief.  A good brand to trust is Calpol, as I always have a bottle in stock at home.

Dengue really bothers me and I pray that this may never affect my family, but what will make me sleep better at night is that I am on the road to committing myself into knowing more on how to prevent this. And when the inevitable happens, I am more aware of what needs to be done. From saying no to anti – biotics to support the immune system, to paying attention to fever and managing it right away, to making it a habit to apply deet- free mosquito repellents whenever my kids step out of the house, to making sure our home is free from stagnant water as it acts as breeding ground for disease –causing mosquitoes, and having the right aids such as Calpol in our home, I think I’m off to a good start. I am Bianca, a wife and meticulous mom, and I am a #Denguewarrior.

To know more about Dengue and to access useful tools and resources, visit the Calpol Philippines Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/CalpolPH/?ref=br_rs]. And follow Bianca’s mommy adventures on Instagram–follow @biancassantiago.