The incidence of asthma among young children has been increasing over several decades, according to pediatrician William Sears in his book "The Portable Pediatrician." Many parents have turned to lifestyle changes and home remedies to reduce their children's lifetime asthma risk and to ease asthma symptoms in children who already have the illness. Honey is a home remedy frequently used to treat congestion and other symptoms of asthma, and bananas may help reduce a child's risk of developing asthma. However, honey should never be given to infants, and bananas should not be given to very young babies.
Infant Nutrition Basics
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children’s sole source of nutrition should come from breast milk or formula for the first six months of life. Prior to this time, children do not have the swallowing apparatus necessary to eat even pureed solid foods. Thus bananas are not safe for very young babies. Honey contains several micro-organisms that, while beneficial to children and adults, can be harmful to babies. Parents should not give children honey for any reason until their first birthday, and some pediatricians recommend waiting until a child is 2.
Honey Home Remedies
Many people with asthma suffer from chronic congestion and coughing. Dark honey is an effective congestion remedy that the “Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies” says may be more effective than over-the-counter decongestants. Given recent FDA warnings about the safety of over-the-counter remedies, a teaspoon of dark honey is a safer remedy for older children, according to Sears. However, you should never give honey to infants.
Bananas and Asthma
A recent study at the Imperial College of London of children ages 5 through 10 found that children who ate a banana daily had a reduced risk of asthma. Heated bananas have also been used as a home remedy for asthma attacks, according to the "Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies." Because bananas are easily mashed with the gums, they are often among the first solid foods an infant eats. Consider giving your child bananas daily to reduce her lifetime risk of developing asthma. If your child has an asthma attack, avoid home remedies and instead go to the emergency room.
Asthma Prevention
Several other lifestyle and environmental conditions are considered highly effective at preventing asthma. The American Academy of Pediatrics argues that children who are exclusively breast-fed for the first six months of life have a markedly reduced risk of asthma and allergies. Early exposure to allergens such as peanuts can increase a child's risk of developing asthma, according to Sears. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy and parents who expose their children to cigarette smoke increase the children's likelihood of developing allergies.
References
- Caring for Your Baby and Young Child; American Academy of Pediatrics
- The Portable Pediatrician; William Sears, M.D. et al.
- Mayo Clinic Book of Home Remedies; Mayo Clinic
- UPI: Bananas May Help Reduce Child Asthma Risk
