Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are a normal part of childhood that often disturb sleep, parents and children alike, but a simple dose of honey may just be the remedy needed. A recent study published in Pediatrics (Aug 6 2012) has confirmed that honey is more effective than placebo in controlling nocturnal cough and poor sleep in children with URTI.
This study was a randomized placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of 300 children from the ages of 1-5 making it much more rigorous than previous studies in this area. Three different types of honey were compared (eucalyptus honey, citrus honey & labiatae honey) against a silan date extract placebo. All 3 types of honey were superior to placebo in alleviating cough.
Honey has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, is a demulcent and easy to administer. The study used a dose of 10g of honey
½ hour before bed given neat or in non-caffeinated beverage.
Cohen, H. A., Rozen, J., Kristal, H., Laks, Y., Berkovitch, M., Uziel, Y., et al. (2012). Effect of Honey on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep Quality: A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study. Pediatrics, 130(3), 465-471.