Here’s the deal; most home remedies do not work. If home remedies worked as good as they claim to then we wouldn’t even have a budding pharmaceutical industry or doctors. However, this doesn’t mean that no home remedy works. Thankfully, we have become educated enough as a society that parents know they need to take their child to a doctor instead of trying some strange tip they learnt from a magazine or some unverified blog.
Honey for treating coughs, however, is one of those rare home remedies which actually work. It doesn’t just work; some studies suggest it might work even better than over the counter drugs.
Is it better than cough medicine for kids?
Coughs are one of the most irritating things a kid or an adult can get. Every parent hates seeing their kid coughing. The issue is that cough medicine doesn’t really seem to help a lot. Some of the cough medicines that do work are for adults and not recommended for children. Most of the time all that a parent can do is wait till the cough goes away.
However, multiple studies have suggested that honey performs better in children than almost every cough medicine for children. So the next time your kid has a cough, reach for the honey instead of medicine.
Why is honey so good for coughing?
There is no single reason that makes honey so good for curing coughs. Honey has multiple properties which makes it an enemy of cough.
Soothing
Coughs are often caused by an irritation. Honey has a very soothing effect and it helps in ending such irritations which results in a decrease in coughing.
Saliva Inducing
Honey has also been known to increase the production of saliva. The increased saliva results in better lubrication in the throat which results in a decrease in coughs. This is especially great for dry coughs as honey can eliminate the dry feeling.
Infection fighter
Honey also has numerous antioxidants, chemicals, and vitamins which help your body fight infection. Thus, not only does it sooth your throat to make the job of viruses harder, it also fights the virus directly.
Word of Caution
As great as honey is, there are some things which you need to keep in mind before you reach out for that honey to cure your kid’s cough.
No honey for infants
Honey should never be given to kids below the age of 1. During these tender years the immune system of the baby isn’t well developed and it cannot find infections. Botulism is a serious disease which can be transmitted to infants from honey since their immune system doesn’t know how to prevent it. If you are unsure about your child’s development and don’t know if honey will be safe just contact your pediatrician and ask.
Get the cough checked
Most coughs are caused by common infections and thus honey is the perfect remedy for them. Sometimes, cough can also be caused by some other disease or serious infection. If your kid seems to have a cough that is more severe or lasting longer than a normal cough does you should take them to the doctor.
