The FDA recently said that parents shouldn't give over the counter cold medicines to children under six. So how can parents treat a child's cough?
You might want to reach for a spoonful of honey to stop your child's cough. That's according to a new study from Penn State College of Medicine.
"I think it confirms what we've been saying for a long time in pediatrics that providing something that's soothing is just as good as providing a medicine," said Dr. Ron Kleinman, a pediatrician at Mass. General Hospital for Children.
Researchers looked at more than 100 children between the ages of 2 and 18 who were coughing because of an upper respiratory infection.
The children received one of three treatment plans- a dose of honey, an over the counter cough and cold medicine, or no treatment. Parents then filled out a questionnaire. The findings: honey worked best for relieving their child's nighttime cough.
But it's important to note that the National Honey Board funded the study.
"They would like us to think that there's some important properties of honey that work especially well for children coughing, particularly at night, but as far as we know from this study, anything that's soothing may do just as well as honey," Dr. Kleinman said.
So, if your child doesn't like honey, Dr. Kleinman says reach for something else to help your child's cough.
"Warm milk, hot chocolate, ice cream, pudding can be just as soothing as honey," Dr. Kleinman said.
And lead to a silent night.
The researchers say more studies are needed, and it's important to note that honey is considered safe only in children over a year old.
This study is in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
