Honey benefits kids in acute cough with common cold : Chest Guidelines

An acute cough associated with the common cold (CACC) affects the quality of life and requires effective treatment approaches. But, there has been little changes in the treatment choices for a cough due to the common cold (CC) since the publication of the 2006 CHEST cough guidelines.

Mark A. Malesker and his associates conducted a systematic review of the management of CACC to update the recommendations and suggestions of the CHEST 2006 guideline on CACC. Earlier the evidence supporting the management of CACC was of overall low quality. The newly updated guideline which appears in the CHEST journal provides treatment suggestions based on the best currently available evidence.

Key Recommendations and Suggestions:

• For adult and pediatric patients with a cough due to CC, we suggest against the use of over a counter cough and cold medicines until they have been shown to make a cough less severe or resolve sooner(Ungraded Consensus-Based Statement).


• In adult patients with a cough due to the common cold, we suggest against the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents until they have been shown to make a cough less severe or resolve sooner(Ungraded Consensus-Based Statement).


• In pediatric patients (aged 1-18 years) with a cough due to the Common Cold, we suggest honey may offer more relief for cough symptoms than no treatment, diphenhydramine, or placebo, but it is not better than dextromethorphan(Ungraded Consensus-Based Statement).

Read Also: Common Cold May Increase Diabetes Risk in Kids

Remarks: Infants < 1 year of age should not be administered honey and children < 2 years of age should not be administered dextromethorphan for cough symptoms.

• In pediatric patients (aged < 18 years) with a cough due to the CC, we suggest avoiding the use of codeine-containing medications because of the potential for serious side effects including respiratory distress(Ungraded Consensus-Based Statement).

A common cold is an acute upper respiratory syndrome, usually due to a viral infection, with symptoms including rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction. A common cold is frequently accompanied by a sore throat, sneezing, body aches, low-grade fever, and cough.

For more reference log on to https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2017.08.009