Home remedies are often more effective than expensive medications. A recently published study showed that honey provides better control of cough in children over the age of 1* compared to common over-the-counter and prescription medicines! In fact, several studies have shown that cough medicines do not work at all, either to decrease the cough or to help kids (and their parents) sleep through the night: not great news for exhausted parents with sick children.
A spoonful of honey has become my favorite cough remedy. If your little one is ‘hacking up a lung’, use the following dosage of honey mixed in warm water to help soothe them:
- 1-5 years old: 1/2 teaspoon
- 6-11 years old: 1 teaspoon
- 12 years and older: 2 teaspoons
Tips for parents:
- *Please do NOT give honey to children less than 1 year old: it can increase the risk for botulism.
- To help a coughing child sleep, give honey about 30 minutes prior to sleeping time. Mix honey with a non-caffeinated drink and make sure to brush teeth prior to bedtime.
- Mixing honey in a soothing herbal tea such as chamomile or mint can be a lovely calming remedy.
- Darker varieties such as buckwheat honey seem to be more effective so choose these varieties if available.
- Do not hesitate to call or visit your doctor to get a proper diagnosis if the cough seems severe or your child is very ill.
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A Pediatrician's Insights on Child Health, Parenting and Doctoring Kids
Having dutifully adopted the no-honey-for-little-ones rule that I learned upon having my first child, I was distracted while reading this posting. That is, until I read your “Tips for Parents” addressing the botulism issue. It might be worth referencing that at the beginning of the posting to avoid confusing parents like me who have a hard time swallowing (pun intended) the notion that honey can be helpful for kids over 1 year.
Thanks for the (punny) thought Jenny: I’ve updated the post so that hopefully parents will see right away that honey is not safe for children under 1 year old.
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I was wondering how often you can give your child a dose of the honey for coughing throughout the day?
Excellent question: honey’s very safe and so I usually suggest that kids sip warm honey water (sometimes with some herbal tea) throughout the day the help the cough!
how often i can give honey to my 3 year old boy who is having cough
how often i can give honey to my 3 year old boy
Another reader had the same question: I usually recommend sipping on honey-water on and off during the day. You can’t overdose on honey, though too much sugar is not great for your little one! It’s especially helpful about 1/2 hour before bedtime.