There was a small study done recently that compared dextromethorphan to honey. Dextromethorphan (Delsym, Robitussin DM) is the typical OTC drug used to treat dry cough.
The study had kids from 2 to 18 years old with upper respiratory tract infections and nighttime cough. There were three branches in th study -no treatment, honey or dextromethorphan. The parents then filled out a questionnaire about how the kids cough and sleep improved.
Granted, it was a small, subjective study but it found that honey worked better than dextromethorphan! Only proving what moms have been saying for decades 🙂
Why does honey work? The exact way how honey works is unclear. There are a couple of theories. Honey is a known antioxidant which may help cold symptoms. The sweetness may also help. Sweetness causes reflex salivation and secretion that can soothe the pharynx and larynx. The sweetness may also work with the central nervous system to decrease the need to cough.
How do I give it to my child?
Kids under 12 months should not be given honey because of the risk of botulism.
2-5 years old: 1/2 teaspoon 30 minutes before bedtime
6-11 years old: 1 teaspoon 30 minutes before bedtime
12-18 years old: 2 teaspoons 30 minutes before bedtime
The truth be told, dextromethorphan doesn’t work that well. Next time I have a dry cough, I will most definitely be taking honey before bedtime -plus yum!
Please leave us a comment about your experience and home remedies!
dear doctor, is about my aged mother she is suffring from dry cough for quit a long time now i don’t know what to do again pls help me i need your help thanks
James,
Hi James,
There are a couple of things you can try with your mom. Honey will work for adults too. It is a great natural alternative. An over the counter medicine you can try is Delsym (orange box). Sometimes, the dry cough is caused by allergies so treating the allergies with something like Claritin (loratadine) can help too.
You can actually try all three -Claritin, Delsym and honey. Of course, you want to make sure that none of the medications interact with anything that she is already on. And she may need to visit her physician to determine what is causing the dry cough and/or get a stronger cough suppressent.
I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, please get in touch by leaving another comment or emailing me at nova@getpharmacyadvice.com
Thanks Nova!
My elderly sis-in-law has a cough that is wrecking her sleep. I jumped on to your site and now she is taking honey and Elderberry. From her and I Thanks!