Cough is an expensive and common ailment, accounting for more outpatient visits than any other complaint in the United States. Those afflicted spend billions of dollars annually on over-the-counter remedies of varying effectiveness. Nocturnal coughs cause the patient to lose sleep. When a child is afflicted with a night-time cough, parents as well as children suffer from sleeplessness. Studies at Penn State University's College of Medicine suggest that buckwheat honey is an inexpensive and reliable treatment for coughs.
Traditional Honey Treatments
Biochemist Peter Molan notes that “honey was used to treat infected wounds as long ago as 2,000 years before bacteria were discovered to be the cause of infection. In c.50 AD, Dioscorides described honey as being 'good for all rotten and hollow ulcers.'” Honey has a well-established reputation in folk medicine as an effective wound treatment, an antimicrobial due to its high sugar content, and as a soothing topical treatment for sore throats.
Benefits
Some cultures have used honey for centuries to treat wounds and upper respiratory infection symptoms such as cough, according to the Medical News Daily in a December 2007 article, “Prescribing Honey for Childhood Cough.” Honey has been proved to have antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal properties, which led the World Health Organization to recommend honey as a treatment for coughs worldwide. It's considered to be safe for children over 12 months old, but always check with your doctor before giving your toddler honey.
Features of Buckwheat Honey
A darker and heavier variety of honey, buckwheat honey was tested by scientists in a 2004 Penn State College of Medicine study of honey as a treatment for coughs. Buckwheat honey was selected because dark honeys tend to contain more phenolic compounds. Scientists have linked phenolic compounds with honey's healing antioxidant properties. Buckwheat honey is also a demulcent, which means it's soothing when applied topically. That soothing effect may contribute to its ability to quiet coughs.
Honey and Penn State Research
Researchers at Penn State College of Medicine found that a small dose of buckwheat honey at bedtime “provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications,” according to lead author Ian Paul. The findings were detailed in the December 2007 issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. Paul, a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children’s Hospital, said honey “offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents” treating a child's cough.
Cautions
Penn State's study found that buckwheat honey was effective in treating a child's cough when the cough is associated with an upper respiratory infection. But honey is also linked to cases of botulism in children under 12 months old. About 20 percent of infantile botulism cases each year are attributed to honey. Never give honey to a child less than a year old. To be safe, ask your medical professional before giving honey to any child under 2 years old.
