Honey Cough Syrup for Winter Wellness
I think most parents can agree that having a sick child makes for a rough night. Not only are coughs worse at night, but the discomfort and irritability often lead to disrupted sleep. Your little one doesn’t sleep. You don’t sleep. No one sleeps! It can be a rough cycle, but with the information in this blog post, you can be ready to support your family when sickness arises.
Skip The Pharmacy
When cough and cold symptoms arise, often parents head to the closest pharmacy looking for something to relieve symptoms. But those packed shelves can be overwhelming because there are a lot of words and a lot of marketing. In general, most children’s cough medicines contain a cough suppressant like dextromethorphan (found in Robitussin or Delsym) and/or an antihistamine like diphenhydramine (found in Benadryl or “nighttime medicines”). Interestingly enough, studies have shown that these types of cough syrups are not particularly effective in children, plus there are potential side effects that can be concerning.
All You Need Is Honey
Recently, there are have been multiple studies comparing these conventional cough syrups to raw honey and a placebo. These studies found improvements in cough severity and sleep duration after just one night of honey supplementation. These improvements were about equal to that of dextromethorphan (Robitussin, Delsym), but without the potential side effects.
Ultimately, these studies concluded that just 1/2 teaspoon of honey before bed is a great natural option for the treatment of coughs in children. So next time you are up with a sick child, consider checking your pantry for honey before checking your medicine cabinet! It is also worth noting that with this research, many brands have started incorporating honey into their products. I am not affiliated with any companies, but I do like Zarbee’s, which has a basic cough syrup and a syrup for cough and mucus! Some of my other favorite cold and flu tips for children can be found here and here.
Of course it is important to remember that honey is not safe for children under the age of 1 year due to the risk of botulism. Also, if you find yourself with a sick child, keep an eye out for a high fever or labored breathing, because these are things that would warrant medical attention.
References
Goldman RD. Honey for treatment of cough in children. Can Fam Physician. 2014;60(12):1107-1110.
Shadkam MN. A comparison of the effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and diphenhydramine on nightly cough and sleep quality in children and their parents. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Jul;16(7):787-93.
Cohen HA. Effect of Honey on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. Pediatrics. Sep 2012, 130 (3) 465-471
Paul IM. Effect of Honey, Dextromethorphan, and No Treatment on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality for Coughing Children and Their Parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;161(12):1140–1146.
About the Author
Dr. Hannah is a naturopathic doctor providing whole body adjunctive healthcare to patients in Maine and Massachusetts. She believes every patient has their own unique health journey, which influences her personalized treatment approach. She has a passion for helping women, mothers and families heal and thrive, all while uncovering the root cause of whatever ails them. Her goal is to empower and guide her patients on the path towards healing the mind, body and soul through natural methods of healing. Dr. Hannah sees patients locally in Portland, Maine. Through telehealth, she is happy to serve the people of Lewiston, Ellsworth, Belfast, Bangor, and all the towns in between! She now sees Massachusetts patients through telehealth as well!
Disclaimer
The information provided on or through this website is for educational and informational purposes only. This information is not a substitution for proper and personalized medical diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or trusted healthcare provider before making an adjustments or changes to your healthcare regimen. Natural medicine is not inherently harmless, and therefore it is important to speak with your healthcare providers for personalized medical advice.