Use Honey, Not Drugs, to Combat Child's Cough Says New Study
"Buckwheat honey relieved a child's cough and helped them sleep better than dextromethorphan, the drug in most over-the-counter cough suppressants."
With all the new warnings nixing the use of cough medicines for children, what's a parent to do when their child has a bad cough?
According to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Ian Paul, who led a recent study on that very problem, has determined that buckwheat honey relieved a child's cough and helped them sleep better than dextromethorphan, the drug in most over-the-counter cough suppressants.
Note: Honey should NEVER be given to a child under a year old.
"(Honey) is a cheap and effective treatment," he said. "Consider using this as a treatment before going to the pharmacy to pick up an over-the-counter cough and cold medicine."
As reported in the Houston Chronicle, one dose measured one-half teaspoon for children aged 2-5, one teaspoon for children aged 6-11 and two teaspoons for children aged 12-18.
