Honey Beats Cough Syrup? A Sweet Fix for Your Kid’s Nighttime Cough
- kaitlinrstockton
- Sep 5
- 2 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Let’s face it — few things are worse than being woken up in the middle of the night by your child’s endless coughing. Not only are they miserable, but you're both running on fumes the next day. So, what actually works to help kids sleep better during a cold?
Surprise: it might be something already in your kitchen — honey.
🧐 The Big Question: Honey or Cough Syrup?
A group of researchers wanted to find out: Does honey help more than store-bought cough medicine (like dextromethorphan) — or doing nothing at all?
Parents gave the treatment 30 minutes before bedtime, and then researchers asked them the next day:👉 How was the cough?👉 Did your child sleep better?👉 Did YOU sleep better?
And the Winner Is… Honey!
What Got Better | Honey | Cough Syrup (DM) | No Treatment |
Coughing less | ✅ Best | 👍 Meh | ❌ Worst |
Milder cough | ✅ Best | 👍 Meh | ❌ Worst |
Less annoying for kids | ✅ Best | 👍 Meh | ❌ Worst |
Better child sleep | ✅ Best | 👍 Meh | ❌ Worst |
Better parent sleep | ✅ Best | 👍 Meh | ❌ Worst |
In fact, honey was the only treatment that consistently beat doing nothing. Cough syrup didn’t really help much more than no treatment at all.
So... Why Does Honey Work?
It turns out honey isn’t just sweet — it’s also a bit of a superhero.
It coats the throat, which can calm the tickle that triggers coughing.
It has antioxidants and natural antibacterial powers.
And guess what? Just the sweet taste might trigger the brain to calm the urge to cough. (Wild, right?)
⚠️ But What About Safety?
Honey is safe for kids over 1 year old. (Never give honey to babies under 1 — it can cause a rare illness called infant botulism.)
A few kids in the study got a little hyper or had trouble falling asleep after taking honey — so maybe avoid giving it too early before bed.
Cough syrup has many unpleasant side effects and can also cause rare but serious side effects, and for this reason, it is not recommended by paediatric societies. Also… it doesn't really work. 🤷♀️
🛑 Talk to your doctor if:
The cough is not starting to improve after 10 days
The cough is getting much worse instead of better
Your child has a history of asthma
🚑 Go to the EMERGENCY/call 9-1-1 if:
Your child has difficulty breathing
Your child has pale, blue/purple, or cool skin
Your child is inconsolable or very sleepy/difficult to wake
Your child has had a fever for 5 days or more
You're worried your child is dehydrated (less urine output, dry mouth, sunken eyes)
Your caregiver intuition is telling you they need to be seen emergently.
Final Takeaway for Tired Parents 💤 :
✅ Try giving a spoonful of honey before bed
❌ Skip the cough syrup
Easy Honey Nighttime Cough Remedy
Use 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of honey (depending on age — check with your doc if unsure)
Give it 30 minutes before bedtime
Mix with warm water or herbal tea if your child doesn’t want it straight
References:
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