Secondhand Smoke and Children — How does Secondhand Smoke Affect Children?

What is secondhand smoke?
Secondhand smoke sometimes is also called environmental tobacco smoke or ETS. It refers to smoke exhaled by the smoker after taking a puff as well as the smoke that is given out form the lit end of a cigarette. It contains as many chemicals as the smoke that goes into the smoker’s body when smoking. It is known to cause many health problems including bronchitis, heart problems and even cancers. An individual who is exposed to such smoke is known as a passive smoker.

Secondhand smoke and children
Children are possibly some of the worst sufferers of smoking and ETS. They are exposed to toxic chemicals and to the risk of contracting various diseases early on in life due to this exposure. Not just small children, but even unborn fetuses are affected by this.

How does secondhand smoke affect children?
Environmental smoke affects everyone alike, but children are affected the most. Below given are just some of the things that ETS can do to children.

• Low birth weight: Infants who were exposed to secondhand smoke either due to the mother smoking can have a very low birth weight that can cause other developmental problems.
• SIDS: If a pregnant woman smokes, it can affect the infant such that susceptibility to SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) increases manifold, especially in the first one or two months.
• Birth defects: Smoking pregnant women may also risk giving birth to children with birth defects like cleft palate and lip.
• Chronic problems of the respiratory system: Children exposed to ETS have a very high risk of developing respiratory problems like asthma, sinusitis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Ear infections: ETS may also cause or worsen infections of the middle ear in particular. It may also interfere with the healing process of these infections.
• Behavior and intellect: Exposure to secondhand smoke at an early age can lead to behavioral problems like hyperactivity as well as interfere with grasping, learning and memory.

These are some ways secondhand smoke can affect fetuses as well as infants and young children. This is why it is best that pregnant women do not smoke in the prenatal and post natal period to avoid harm to the new life developing inside her. Also, if there are children in the house, you should avoid smoking completely or at least not smoke when the kids are around.