About Honey Don't Cough

Honey, Don't Cough was founded by Jeff and Christine Chamberlain, a husband and wife team.  As parents of young children, Christine, a school teacher, and her husband Jeff, a family doctor, were concerned about the increasing reports regarding the dangers of children's cold & cough medicines.  So Jeff, with his medical background, started researching the safety and effectiveness of the various over-the-counter products currently on pharmacy shelves.

The Chamberlains were shocked to find reports of children who have had life-threatening side-effects and even died from taking these medications in the “correct” doses.  Furthermore, they could not find any well-founded scientific studies that convincingly proved that conventional cold & cough medications were effective at relieving the symptoms of children.  In the face of this evidence, Jeff and Christine were determined not to put their own children at risk by using these medications.

In October 2007, the FDA Pediatric Advisory Committee reviewed all the relevant studies of children's cough medicines, confirming Jeff's personal research findings.  The FDA committee unanimously decided that children under two should never be given over-the-counter antihistamines, decongestants, or antitussives.  Furthermore, a majority of the committee recommended that these medicines should not be given to children under six, either.

Jeff and Christine wondered if there was a remedy that was not only safe, but also proven to be effective for children.  They firmly resolved not to put children at risk by using these medications for their own family or by recommending them to others.  This problem was especially relevant for Jeff, who daily advised worried parents of his young patients.  As Jeff began educating parents about the dangers of these medications, these conversations always ended with the same unanswered question, “What should I do when my child has a bad cold with a cough?”

Then in December 2007, one of Jeff's colleagues directed him to some new research from Penn State's Department of Pediatrics, which showed that buckwheat honey out-performed honey-flavored Dextromethorphan, the main anti-cough ingredient in children's cough medicines.  Jeff was amazed!  His grandfather, who was an old-fashioned country doctor, had always prescribed Buckwheat Honey for cough.  Now years later, modern research confirmed what Grandpa Chamberlain had known all along.

Immediately, Jeff began recommending Buckwheat Honey to parents as a safe, natural, and effective choice to dangerous cough and cold medicines.  Unfortunately, parents reported that they had difficulty finding Buckwheat Honey at their neighborhood grocery stores, pharmacies, and health food stores.  This difficulty hit home when Jeff and Christine's 17-month-old daughter, Violet, got a cold with a bad cough, which interrupted and disturbed her sleep.  With much effort, Christine was able to locate a store that carried Buckwheat Honey for a expensive price.

At bedtime, Violet enjoyed the new cough remedy, however her parents were not as thrilled with her sticky mouth, cheeks, nose, forehead, fingers, pajamas, and bed!  That night, as Violet was resting comfortably, Jeff and Christine, discussed the idea of organizing a company to educate parents about the dangers of children's cold & cough medications, as well as offer Buckwheat Honey as a safe and effective choice.  So from the Chamberlain family's personal experience and research, Honey, Don't Cough was born.