Effects Of Smoking On Children

Effects Of Smoking On Children

The effects of passive smoking or second-hand smoke are well-known but it is more adverse

in children. Kids are easily prone to various lung infections and other diseases because of

passive smoking. Though as adults we do know that cigarettes are hazardous to one’s

health, most of us smokers continue to affect the health of the people around us rather

than quit.

Educating parents about the health problems that affect kids is a way of securing the health

of children. Smoking leads to a lot of problems in children, the results of which are terrible.

Here are a few issues seen in kids exposed to second-hand smoke:

Health Issues

A child’s growing body is more vulnerable to the harmful carcinogens in cigarette smoke

than adults. According to reports by American Cancer Society, about thirty thousand

infections are caused by second-hand smoking and this includes bronchitis and pneumonia

in children. There are also chances of death in babies exposed to passive smoking due to

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

When compare to their peers, kids exposed to passive smoking suffer from recurrent health

problems like ear infections, respiratory problems, decreased lung infections and bronchitis

to name a few.

A child is also more likely to suffer from asthma, experience congested lungs, cough,

mucous accumulation and other related problems. Visit your nearest Apollo Cradle centre to

get your child tested for any of the smoking related problems.

Participation In Sports

Children exposed to passive smoking do not perform as well as their peers. Various factors

contribute to this with the major one being poor health. Poor circulation, decreased lung

functioning, increased heart rate all restrict the child’s ability to play. It also takes time for

such children to heal after an injury.

Parents As Inspiration

A child, to a major part of his/her life, is exposed to the behavioural patterns of the parents.

So children tend to pick up habits, language, style and tastes from their parents. If the adults

in the house tend to smoke a lot, eventually children will also follow the same practice.

Knowingly or unknowingly, parents often send the wrong message to children when they

smoke, thereby affecting their childhood.

Did you know?

According to research, if a ten-year-old child tries smoking a cigarette, he is three times

more likely to become a chain smoker. When kids are exposed to smoke, they tend to

experiment with it without knowing the after-effects.

According to a study, about 1500 children die due to fire accidents caused by unattended

cigarettes every year.

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