Honey Recommended as Alternative to Cough Medicine for Children

Five Alternatives to Treat Kids' Colds Without Suspect Medicines
By Sarah Baicker, Medill News Service, 10/4/2007

WASHINGTON -- In light of the Food and Drug Administration's recent recommendation that young children not take cold or cough medicines, parents across the country have started to look for alternatives.

When a child is sick, parents are likely to feel helpless and frustrated when they cannot do anything to remedy a sore throat or painful cough. There are, however, still ways to help children who are ill with colds.

Even though a cold cannot be cured by anything other than time, pediatricians believe some simple, nondrug treatments can help. After all, a parent who is confident and not anxious will better help a sick kid than a parent who feels powerless, doctors say…

3. Honey and corn syrup

For children older than one year, a quarter-teaspoon of honey can be great for calming a sore throat. "In a study I saw," said Nussbaum, "the honey worked just as well as most cough medicines." Seely recommended corn syrup, which works like honey to coat the throat and help control a nonproductive, dry cough.

Room-temperature is fine for both, but warming can only help because the warmth will feel soothing on a dry throat. But, the doctors warned, it is important not to give honey to infants because of a risk of botulism…