Honey of a Solution for Coughing!
Information on the general ineffectiveness of cough medicines has been in the news recently, leaving the parents of coughing youngsters wondering where to turn to find a source of relief for their child. Now, a time tested product may offer the answer that has eluded modern-day parents. The solution is in the cupboard and not in the medicine chest. The answer is honey.
Recently, 105 children were tested for three different cough solutions. They were divided into three test groups and the study extended over two nights. On the first night, the children received no treatment and their parents were asked five questions about their child’s condition. On the second night, the first group received a single dose of buckwheat honey. The second group got honey-flavored dextromethorphan (this is a common ingredient in over-the-counter medications) and the third group got nothing at all. The treatment doses were administered 30 minutes before bedtime. The parents were then asked the same five questions about the child’s condition.
Study results showed the honey group consistently reported the highest frequency of relief according to the parents surveyed. A lesser amount of relief was provided by the honey-flavored drug group, and with those getting nothing at all recording the worst scores.
The study was conducted at the Penn State College of Medicine under the direction of Ian Paul, M.D. The results were published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. In a previous study in 2004, Dr. Paul showed that neither dextromethorphan nor diphenhydramine, another component of cough medications, performed better than a placebo to reduce coughing or improve sleep. Since then, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medications not be given to children under six due to a lack of effectiveness and their potential for creating drug related side effects.
Honey, on the other hand, has been used for centuries to help a variety of health problems. It has known antioxidant and antimicrobial qualities. It is also known to contribute to wound healing. According to researchers, the only possible negative side effect of the honey treatment, as reported by parents, was mildly heightened hyperactivity in some cases. One additional word of warning is that honey should not be administered to children less than 2 years old as it can contain-botulism causing endospores that may be a problem for young children.
That said, honey may be an excellent replacement for drugs and a time and money saver for children and parents alike. According to the study information, approximately three percent of all outpatient doctor visits in the United States are cough related. Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on over-the-counter cold medications, many of which prove to be very ineffective. And, with honey as the treatment that helps children, lots of parents may get a much better night of restful sleep with fewer coughs coming from their child’s bed.