What Happens to Children When Parents Smoke
It’s just been in the past 20 years that society has recognized the dangers that smoking poses towards children’s health. Both active and passive effects of smoking on kids put them at a higher risk of negative health effects from the smoke than teens or young adults due the greater amount of breaths that a child makes per minute. As a result, the inhale a greater proportion of second hand smoke than teens do which increases the percentage of toxins that they are exposed to. For reference, a young adult will take on average 15 breaths per minute while a young child will take significantly more.
Reasons to be Anti-Smoking Around Kids
#1 Anti-Smoking Reason Around Kids – Increased Rate of SIDS
For younger children, if Mom smokes during the pregnancy and around the child, they are significantly more likely to be at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
#2 Anti-Smoking Reason Around Kids – Increased Potential for Learning Disabilities
The potential for cerebral palsy and risk of learning disabilities increases for children whose mother smokes.
#3 Anti-Smoking Reason Around Kids – Amplified Effects of Asthmatic Conditions
If your child has asthma or an asthma-like condition, their symptoms will be worse due to the second hand smoke around them from either Mom, Dad, or another family member who smokes.
#4 Anti-Smoking Reason Around Kids – Increased Contamination of their Bloodstream
Research has found that children who are around tobacco smoke have increased levels of cotanine in their blood. Contanine is a byproduct of nicotine that has been found in the blood of infants who had either parent that smoked. Moms have the largest impact, but even fathers that smoke can result in increased levels of contanine in their baby’s blood.
#5 Anti-Smoking Reason Around Kids – More Prone to Respiratory Heart Disease
Just by being around second hand smoke, a child will be more likely to suffer from respiratory heart disease without smoking a single cigarette
All of these factors are significantly amplified if the child actually smokes instead of the parents. If you catch your kid smoking, consider what stop smoking methods or stop smoking aids will best help them quit smoking before it is too late. If you are a parent and smoke, if you can’t quit, do your best to not smoke in your vehicle with your children present or in their presence to lessen the effects of second hand smoke on their health.
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