It's official: the best way to cure the hiccups is drinking water while holding your breath. Those were the findings of two Grade 3 students from Ecole Olds Elementary School.
It's official: the best way to cure the hiccups is drinking water while holding your breath. Those were the findings of two Grade 3 students from Ecole Olds Elementary School.
Anna Moffat and Jade Epp presented their research at the annual school science fair on Feb. 4, alongside 90 other projects.
Students with the highest scores in their respective grades get the chance to compete at the Mountainview Science and Technology Fair, held at Olds High School in March.
The pair is one of 13 Grade 3 competitors to advance.
Moffat has tracked cases of hiccups in her family since April 2013. She recorded different cures and their efficacy, measured by how many more hiccups the test subjects experienced after.
In six incidents she recorded from May to December 2013, subjects did not experience any more hiccups after drinking water while holding their breath.
The next best cure was eating a teaspoon of sugar. In seven cases Moffat recorded from August to November 2013, subjects only experienced eight total hiccups after.
Less effective methods they tested included holding your breath, pinching your elbow and having someone scare you.
Moffat thought of the project idea when her mother had a case of hiccups and wanted to find the best way to get rid of them.
Epp designed their presentation poster, did the research and helped document their results.
Students were judged on their oral presentation, exhibits, creativity, adherence to the scientific method, logbooks and overall impression.
Both girls admitted to being nervous about it.
"We didn't know if we'd do it right and say the right things," Moffat said.
However, the students' empirical data impressed Ben Godwin, a Grade 11 student from Olds High School, one of three people who judged their project.
"You could clearly see what the results were and just the overall presentation they had. Good speaking skills, good board and a good project," he said.
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