A Sweet Solution

Maybe your grandmother was right.
A new study suggests that a teaspoon of honey before bed can
calm a child's cough, and help the child sleep better.
The study is based on parents' reports of their children's
symptoms, and how they responded to various treatments.
According to the authors, the folk remedy did better than cough
medicine, and also did better than no treatment at all. The authors
say honey may work by coating and soothing an irritated throat.
Recently, federal health advisers warned that over-the-counter
cough and cold medicines shouldn't be used in children younger than
6. And manufacturers are taking some products for babies off the
market.
Three pediatricians who've read the study say they would tell
parents who are seeking alternative remedies to try using honey.
But they note that honey shouldn't be used in children under 1 year
of age, because of a rare but serious risk of botulism.
The research appears in the Archives of Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine.