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Everyone knows that smoking is dangerous for your health. It causes cancer, emphysema, heart attacks and strokes.
In short, it's deadly. Still, people are still smoking.
Many smokers believe that it calms their nerves and reduces their appetite. However, this article does not try to convince people to stop smoking. As adults, you already know that you should stop and why. This column discusses the dangers of smoking around children and what you can do about it.
Second-hand smoke is the smoke that non-smokers breathe while smoking. The effects are more serious in confined spaces, but remain important even on the outside. There is also a term called secondhand smoke which refers to the elements deposited on surfaces, clothing and dust that can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled or ingested.
Smoke is a persistent odor, as anyone who has worn a sweater in a
Studies show that children exposed to second-hand smoke have increased health problems in childhood, and these effects may persist until adulthood.
Here is a surprising fact: cigarettes contain 4,000 chemicals, including 43 that cause cancer and 400 other toxins. Problems begin when there is exposure to smoke during pregnancy. Many of these poisons can enter the developing baby's bloodstream, and exposure can decrease birth weight, increase the risk of premature birth, and lead to stillbirths and other birth defects.
Sudden Infant Baby Infant Death syndrome. The SIDS is three times more likely in a smoker house compared to smokeless homes. This is perhaps the most scary and dramatic effect of second-hand smoke.
Much more common effects are no less of a problem. Children with a history of exposure to second-hand smoke get sicker more often and longer. It has been shown that secondhand smoke increases the incidence and severity of colds, coughs and wheezing. It also increases the risk of pneumonia and bronchitis, which are particularly dangerous for small lungs.
There is even a correlation with ear infections and exposure to smoke causing hearing loss later in childhood. Asthma attacks and allergy symptoms are more severe, resulting in increased use of medications, emergency room visits and hospitalizations. As adults, children exposed to second-hand smoke are much more likely to develop asthma, lung cancer, other cancers, or heart disease. The children of smokers are also 10 times more likely to become heavy smokers themselves.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to protect your children. The most effective measure is that everyone in the family stops smoking. Not only will this increase children's health, but it will also improve your health and ensure that you have a good time to see them grow up and have their own family.
If you have tried to stop and fail, take heart. The American Cancer Society suggests that it can take eight to ten attempts or more to stop smoking. Nicotine is addictive, and you may need help. Your doctor can recommend strategies and medications that will improve your chances of quitting. If you do not have access to a doctor, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has a free service that can provide a nicotine replacement and advice on smoking cessation. For more information, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)
If all household members are not ready to give up tobacco products, there is still steps you can take to protect your children. Start by making the entire house and car smoke-free. This will not help enough to make a smokehouse or smoke at home only when your child is not there. In addition, the use of an air purifier is not beneficial.
These recommendations can make the environment happier and healthier for you and your loved ones.
In addition to treating patients at the McLeod Family Medicine Center, Louis Strauss is a faculty member of the McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program
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