He has his daddy’s eye and his momma’s lungs
What is secondhand smoke? Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke is the smoke that a smoker breathes out and that comes from the tip of burning cigarettes, pipes and even cigars. The chemical contained is over 4000 and more than 50 of them are known to cause cancer.
According to the American Academy Pediatrics (AAP), research has shown that the effects of thirdhand smoke were also found to be harmful. Thirdhand smoke is the smoke left behind which are remained at places people have smoked previously. It can also be detected even in a child’s hair after that individual smokes near the child.
The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke
Breathing in someone’s smoke can be deadly, even if you don’t smoke. Deaths from lung cancer and heart diseases are common to non-smoking adults. It is very harmful to your children’s health especially when their lungs are still developing.
According to the 2006 report by the Surgeon General, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke stated that there is definitely no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke.
How it affects babies in the womb
Mothers who smoke during pregnancy often have babies that weigh less compared to mothers who don’t and babies with smoking moms are most likely to have development issues such as disabilities and cerebral palsy. One of the reasons why infants die is because of low birth weight.
How it can affect children’s health
There are millions of children, under the age of 18 months who are in contact with secondhand smoke. Most of these children have lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia.
There are approximately a million children with worsened asthma, and their lungs develop slower than other children who live in a non-smoking environment. According to research, evidence has proven that childhood leukaemia, brain tumour and lymphoma are somewhat related.
Long-term effects
Most children who grow up in a smoking family will tend to follow too, and this worsens their health and may cause problems for them later in their future which includes, lung cancer, heart disease and cataract.
Parents, I know that it’s hard for a smoker to quit smoking, but there are ways you can try to minimise the risk for your little one. If you can, please don’t do it in your house or even in your car. Opening the doors and windows won’t be enough for your child’s sake. If you can, do avoid any indoor spaces too.
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