Growing up, I remember my family treating coughs and colds with a little honey mixed with fresh-squeezed lemon. While I was never sure if it actually did any physical good, treating my adult colds with the same remedy seems to give me that same level of comfort that one would associate with a nice warm bowl of chicken soup.

But according to a new study, it seems my Mexican-born grandmother was ahead of her time in fighting nighttime coughing in her young charges. Better sleep for children, it stands to reason, results in better sleep for parents and caregivers, as well.

Authors, Ian M. Paul, M.D., M.Sc. and colleagues at Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, found that cough is the cause of three percent of all outpatient visits in the United States. Usually, the symptom is a result of an upper respiratory infection.

Many parents rely on over-the-counter remedies—most commonly dextromethorphan, even though its use is unsupported by the American Academy of Pediatrics or the American College of Chest Physicians due to potential adverse reactions associated with the drug.

Dextromethrophan is sold under the common brand names: Benylin, Delsym, Robitussin Cough Calmers, and Vicks 44 Cough Medicine.

The recently released study, published in the December issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, cites one tablespoon of buckwheat honey as providing the greatest amount of relief from nighttime cough compared to no treatment at all or treatment with dextromethorphan.

It is important to note that only children two years of age and over were included in the study, since it is unsafe to give honey to babies and toddlers due to the risk of botulism, a rare bacterial illness. While fewer than 100 cases are reported each year in the United States, botulism has serious implications, causing muscle weakness and breathing problems. The bacteria are harmless in older children and adults due to their mature digestive systems which can move the bacteria through the body before it causes harm.

Paul and colleagues conducted a study involving 105 children ages two through 18 years with upper respiratory tract infections who had been sick for seven days or less and experiencing nighttime symptoms, including cough. Thirty-five children received an age appropriate dose of honey, 33 received dextromethorphan, and 37 received no treatment for one night within 30 minutes of their bedtime.

As part of the study, the children’s parents were then asked to complete a survey assessing their child’s cough and quality of sleep the night before and of the assigned treatment.

The results might not have shocked my grandmother, as honey was found to provide the greatest improvement. Dextromethorphan and no treatment followed respectively, in providing the least improvement in cough severity, frequency, and improvement of sleep quality.

No significant difference was found between honey and dextreomethorphan in paired comparisons.

The authors concluded that, while additional studies should be encouraged concerning the use of honey as a cough treatment for children over age one, they have now provided evidence supporting honey as an alternative treatment for health professionals recommending treatments for adults and children 2 to 18 years.