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Dangers of Secondhand Smoke to Your Children
Secondhand smoke, especially tobacco, is a dangerous by-product of living with or being around someone who smokes. Secondhand smoke, also known as passive smoke, is inhalation of smoke emitted by someone other than the “active” or intended smoker. Smoke enters the air, especially in tight, closed, or confined environments without a way to escape, and is retained in clothing, hair, curtains, and furniture. Secondhand smoke can cause irritation to the nose, eyes, and throat. Of the 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke, at least 43 are carcinogens.
Children exposed to secondhand smoke can face a number of health problems, including increased risk for acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis, middle ear disease, more frequent and severe asthma, respiratory symptoms, and slowed or damaged lung growth. When exposed to secondhand smoke, children experience wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Secondhand smoke can trigger asthma attacks in children. The more often children are around secondhand smoke, the more often and severe asthma attacks occur, which can endanger the life of the child.
Children whose parents smoke are more likely to have fluid in the ears and get ear infections as inhaled smoke irritates the eustachian tube which connects the back of the nose to the middle of the ear. The irritation causes swelling and obstruction, which interferes with pressure equalization in the middle ear, leading the fluid build-up, pain, and infection. Frequent ear infections are one of the most common causes of children’s hearing loss.
The effects of secondhand smoke in children are not only present in the throat and ears, but also the brain. Children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy are more likely to suffer behavioral issues such as hyperactivity, modest impairment in school performance, and modest impairment in intellectual achievement.
For infants, chemicals in secondhand smoke also appear to affect the brain in ways that interfere with regulation in breathing patterns which can lead to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Infants exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are more likely to die from SIDS than infants who are not exposed to smoke from tobacco products. Smoking by women during pregnancy or secondhand smoke inhalation during pregnancy can increase the risk of SIDS, lead to lower birth weight, and increase the risk of health complications.
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Though it is dangerous to everyone, fetuses, newborns, infants, and children are the most at-risk groups due to the short-term and long-term damage that it can cause in developing organs such as the brain and the lungs.
If you are a smoker, the best thing that you can do is quit smoking. Immediately, you rid yourself and your household of exposure to secondhand smoke in your home and vehicle. Kids breathe in secondhand smoke at home more than any other place. Quitting smoking and staying smoke-free lowers the chance of your child becoming a smoker. Make sure caretakers such as nannies, babysitters, and day care staff do not smoke. Avoid public spaces that allow smoking and teach your children to stay away from secondhand smoke.
Source:
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Allergy ENT Clinic of Northeast Texas
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