Honey is a better and safer treatment for children than over-the-counter cough syrup, a new study finds.

    Researchers at Penn State College of  Medicine   found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications.

    Honey did a better job reducing the severity, frequency and annoyance of nighttime coughing resulting from upper respiratory infection than DM or no treatment. Honey also helped the coughing child and the child’s parents get more sleep.

    DM was not significantly better at alleviating symptoms than no treatment.

    These findings are especially notable since an FDA advisory board recently recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children under 6 years old because of lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

    The results, described by lead author Ian Paul, are detailed in the December issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
Paul and colleagues showed in 2004 that neither DM nor diphenhydramine, another common component of cold medications, performed better than a placebo at reducing nighttime cough or improving sleep quality. However, honey has been used for centuries in some cultures to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms like cough and is considered to be safe for children over 12 months old. Honey has well-established antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, which could explain its contributions to wound healing. Honey also soothes on contact, which may help explain its effect on cough as suggested by the World Health Organization.

    In the latest study, the researchers enrolled 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 at a university-affiliated physician practice site. On the first night of the study, children received no treatment. Parents answered five questions about their child’s cough and sleep quality as well as about their own sleep quality. On the second night, children received either honey, artificial honey-flavored DM or no treatment about a half hour prior to going to bed. Parents answered the same five questions the following morning.

    The randomized study was partially double-blinded: Medical staff did not know what treatment each participating family received when distributing their sealed syringe-containing envelope. Parents of children who received honey or artificial honey-flavored DM in a measured syringe were blinded to their treatment group. Parents of children in the no treatment group received an empty syringe, and therefore were aware of their child’s treatment group.

    Across the board, parents rated honey as significantly better than DM or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their child’s nighttime cough and sleep difficulty. In a few cases, parents did report mild side effects with the honey treatment, such as hyperactivity.

    “Our study adds to the growing literature questioning the use of DM in children, but it also offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents,” said Paul, a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children’s Hospital. “Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM.”

    Potentially dangerous effects of DM in young children include dystonic reactions, severe involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. Further, DM is a commonly used as a drug of abuse by adolescents.

    Cough is the reason for nearly 3 percent of all outpatient visits in the United States, more than any other symptom. It is particularly bothersome at night because it disrupts sleep. Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on OTC cough and cold medications despite little evidence that these drugs provide significant relief.

    一項新的研究表明，治療兒童咳嗽
，蜂蜜比非處方藥咳嗽糖漿來的更有效、更安全。

    賓(bin)州(zhou)醫(yi)學(xue)院(yuan)的(de)研(yan)究(jiu)人(ren)員(yuan)發(fa)現(xian)兒(er)童(tong)在(zai)睡(shui)前(qian)服(fu)用(yong)少(shao)量(liang)蕎(qiao)麥(mai)蜜(mi)
，緩(huan)解(jie)夜(ye)間(jian)咳(ke)嗽(sou)和(he)睡(shui)眠(mian)困(kun)難(nan)的(de)效(xiao)果(guo)比(bi)不(bu)吃(chi)藥(yao)和(he)服(fu)用(yong)右(you)美(mei)沙(sha)芬(fen)來(lai)的(de)好(hao)，右(you)美(mei)沙(sha)芬(fen)是(shi)許(xu)多(duo)非(fei)處(chu)方(fang)感(gan)冒(mao)藥(yao)中(zhong)的(de)止(zhi)咳(ke)成(cheng)分(fen)。

    蜂蜜對於減緩由上呼吸道感染引發的激烈、頻發和煩人的夜間咳嗽比服用右美沙芬或不去治療來的更有效。蜂蜜也可以幫助咳嗽兒童和他的家長獲得更多睡眠。

    服用右美沙芬和不吃藥對於減緩症狀沒有太大區別。

    這項發現成果顯著
，因為美國食品及藥物管理局顧問團近日建議，由於非處方咳嗽和感冒藥效力不足和潛在的副作用
，所以不適合6歲以下兒童服用。

    該結果由主要作者Ian Paul詳細刊登於12月發布的《兒童和青少年醫學雜誌》上。

    Paul和同事在2004nianbiaoshi，youmeishafenhebenhailamingdouburulingyigeganmaoyaozhongdeputongchengfenlaidenengjianhuanyejiankesouzhengzhuang
，huozengqiangshuimianzhiliang。raner
，fengmizaishushijiyilaizaiyixiewenhuazhongbeidangzuozhiliaoshanghuxidaoganranyinqidekesoudeliangfang，dui12geyueyishangdeertonghenanquan。fengmiquerenhanyoukangyanghuajiheshajunzuoyong，zhejiukeyijieshiweishenmetaduiyushangkouyuheyouxiao。fengmiduiyupingfutengtongyouxiao，zheyekeyijieshiweishenmeshijieweishengzuzhirenweitaduiyukesouyouxiaole。

    在最近的調查中，研究人員在一所大學附屬的醫生實習點聚集了年齡在2到18歲的105名ming兒er童tong。研yan究jiu的de第di一yi晚wan，孩hai子zi們men沒mei有you接jie受shou治zhi療liao。家jia長chang回hui答da了le五wu個ge關guan於yu他ta們men孩hai子zi咳ke嗽sou和he睡shui眠mian質zhi量liang的de問wen題ti，同tong時shi也ye提ti及ji了le自zi身shen的de睡shui眠mian質zhi量liang。第di二er晚wan，孩hai子zi們men在zai睡shui前qian一yi小xiao時shi分fen別bie接jie受shou了le蜂feng蜜mi，人ren工gong蜂feng蜜mi味wei的de右you美mei沙sha芬fen，還hai有you一yi部bu分fen則ze未wei接jie受shou治zhi療liao。家jia長chang在zai第di二er天tian早zao上shang回hui答da了le同tong樣yang的de五wu個ge問wen題ti。該gai隨sui機ji調tiao查zha部bu分fen是shi雙shuang盲mang性xing的de：醫yi療liao機ji構gou的de工gong作zuo人ren員yuan不bu知zhi道dao每mei個ge參can與yu家jia庭ting受shou到dao何he種zhong治zhi療liao，因yin為wei他ta們men分fen發fa的de是shi裝zhuang有you注zhu射she劑ji的de密mi封feng信xin封feng。孩hai子zi的de家jia長chang收shou到dao蜂feng蜜mi或huo人ren造zao蜂feng蜜mi味wei右you美mei沙sha芬fen注zhu射she劑ji對dui自zi己ji所suo在zai的de治zhi療liao團tuan體ti也ye不bu清qing楚chu。未wei受shou藥yao物wu治zhi療liao的de孩hai子zi們men的de家jia長chang收shou到dao空kong的de注zhu射she器qi，因yin此ci他ta們men知zhi道dao自zi己ji的de孩hai子zi屬shu於yu哪na個ge治zhi療liao團tuan體ti。

    通(tong)過(guo)選(xuan)舉(ju)
，家(jia)長(chang)將(jiang)蜂(feng)蜜(mi)評(ping)為(wei)比(bi)右(you)美(mei)沙(sha)芬(fen)或(huo)無(wu)治(zhi)療(liao)對(dui)於(yu)減(jian)緩(huan)孩(hai)子(zi)夜(ye)間(jian)咳(ke)嗽(sou)和(he)睡(shui)眠(mian)困(kun)難(nan)症(zheng)狀(zhuang)更(geng)有(you)效(xiao)的(de)東(dong)西(xi)。在(zai)一(yi)些(xie)案(an)例(li)中(zhong)

，家(jia)長(chang)發(fa)現(xian)接(jie)受(shou)蜂(feng)蜜(mi)治(zhi)療(liao)後(hou)，會(hui)出(chu)現(xian)輕(qing)微(wei)的(de)副(fu)作(zuo)用(yong)，例(li)如(ru)好(hao)動(dong)。

    賓州醫學院和賓州兒童醫院的兒科醫師、研究院和副教授Paul說：“我們的研究增加了對於兒童使用右美沙芬的質疑，但是對於醫生和家長還是可以合理、安全的做出選擇。我們也認可其他的調查，但是我們希望醫療專家能夠考慮蜂蜜作為治療藥物的積極因素，以及使用右美沙芬的功效、價格和潛在的副作用。

    年幼兒童服用右美沙芬存在的潛在副作用包括異常反應

、不隨意肌嚴重收縮和痙攣。此外
，成年人通常會濫用右美沙芬。

    在美國，近3%demenzhenbingrenshiyinweikesoulaikanbingde
，biqitazhengzhuanglaidegengduo。kesouzaiwanshangyouqimafan
，yinweitahuiyingxiangshuimian。xiaofeizhemeinianyaohuashushiyimeiyuanzaifeichufangkesouyaoheganmaoyaoshang，jinguanyaowuduiyuzhengzhuangdehuanjieshouxiaoshenwei。