Honey and Health
Study Finds Honey an Effective Cough Treatment for Children
Honey has been used as a home remedy for centuries to help
alleviate some of the symptoms associated with a common cold.
Now researchers have found through a recent study that honey
proves a better option for childhood cough than over the counter
medicines.
Researchers from Penn State College of Medicine recently
published a study comparing honey to over-the-counter medicines
for relief of upper respiratory infection symptoms, such as
cough. Providing a safe alternative for children more than
12 months old, honey out-performed the cough medicine in offering
a better night’s sleep and reducing cough severity.
In the study, the researchers enrolled 105 children between
the ages of 2 and 18 at a single university-affiliated physician
practice site. On the first night of the study, children received
no treatment. Parents answered five questions about their
child’s cough and sleep quality as well as about their
own sleep quality. On the second night, children received
either honey, artificial honey-flavored dextromethorphan (DM)
or no treatment about a half hour prior to going to bed. Parents
answered the same five questions the following morning.
Across the board, parents rated honey as significantly better
than DM or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their child’s
night time cough and sleep difficulty. In a few cases, parents
did report mild side effects with the honey treatment, such
as hyperactivity.
Ian Paul, M.D., M.Sc., a paediatrician, researcher and associate
professor of paediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine
and Penn State Children’s Hospital said “Additional
studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical
professionals will consider the positive potential of honey
as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense,
and potential for adverse effects associated with the use
of DM.”
Source: National Honey Board
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