A Sweet Solution: The Use of Medical-Grade Honey on Oral Mucositis in the Pediatric Oncology Patient

Problem:  Pediatric patientsdevelop mucositis when receiving treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation.  The gastrointestinal mucosa’s epithial cells divide quickly leading breakdown and painful ulceration.  The most common and sensitive is oral mucositis.  Patients developed painful bleeding ulceration and thick mucoid saliva. Lips eventually crack and bleed. Mouth rinses containing antimicrobial, antihistamine and analgesic medications are the mainstay for pediatric patients. These rinses are often refused related to taste or texture. Patients less than a year are unable to use these products.  Continued oral mucositis leads to increase pain, and refusal or inability to eat.

Project Objective: Outcomes from oral mucositis such as decreases in nutritional intake and deteriorating oral hygiene developed from the painful, bleeding ulcers and dry crusting of the mouth. Alternatives to standard treatments were necessary.  Leptospermum honey was added to daily mouth care. At completion of this poster this treatment has been used in 10 pediatric oncology patients between the ages of nine months and 17 years.

Case Series: Demonstrate the improvement of oral mucositis with standard oral care and the additional use of active Leptospermum honey in three pediatric patient oncology patients.

Outcome: The Leptospermum honey paste was easy to apply and well received by all patients.  The patient received oral care every four hours followed by the application of the honey paste two to three times daily.  The paste was applied with a sponge swab, coating the mouth.  Patients either swished and spit or had excess suctioned out.   Three selected examples of the ten patients are presented in the poster. Leptospermum honey paste proved to be effective in all participating patients.  Healing observed within three days, and patients in all cases reported decreases pain.  Decrease in wounds and bleeding was evident in all cases within five days.