Background

Cough causes concern for parents and is a major cause of outpatient visits. Cough can impact quality of life, cause anxiety, and affects sleep in children and their parents. Honey has been used to alleviate cough symptoms. This is an update of reviews previously published in 2014, 2012, and 2010.

Key findings

·       -  Honey probably reduces cough symptoms more than placebo and salbutamol (a drug that opens lung airways) when given for up to three days.

·        - Honey is probably more effective at providing cough relief and reducing the impact of cough on children’s sleep at night than no treatment.

·       -   There may be little or no difference between the effects of honey and dextromethorphan (an ingredient in over-the-counter cough remedies) or honey and bromelin with honey on all cough symptoms.