Honey is Possible Answer for Kids' Nighttime Coughs

Does Honey Help a Cough?

Parents get worried when their children suffer with nighttime coughing. This leads to the parents trying cough syrups from the drugstore sometimes only to discover they are ineffective. This makes them search for other alternatives.

A Children's Study

A study reported in the September issue of Pediatrics stated that there is evidence that honey is suitable for quieting coughs in children over age one. A group of three hundred kids ranging from 1 year to 5 years of age that suffered from infections in their upper respiratory systems participated in this study. Toddlers one year or older can have honey which made this age range possible. A baby under one year of age should not ingest honey as a treatment for cough or for any reason.

The children in the study were given two teaspoon of certain types of honey including eucalyptus and citrus or a sweet extract made from dates with no sugar added. The parent had to then answer questions about the time before and after the dosage was administered to the group.

In both the honey and the date extract group there was a significant improvement in severity of coughs and sleep quality. The kids who were given honey had a higher degree of relief than those who took the date syrup. This proves that honey cough syrup for kids is effective.

Coughing a Large Reason for Kids Visiting the Doctor

Kids visit the doctor, because of coughing more than most other problems according to the Fox News website. This website reports that pediatrician, Dr. Ian Paul, at Pennsylvania State University says that there are problems with existing therapies of cold and cough syrups in the fact they are ineffective and have possible side effects. He went on to say, "My study in 2007 was the first paper ever to show that honey was an effective alternative to over-the-counter cold and cough medicines. In fact, we found that honey was the best treatment and provided the most relief."

Parents can safely use honey to treat the coughs of their children in place of ineffective commercial cough syrups. They just need to make sure their children are over 1 years of age.