Are the effects of passive smoking on children worth worrying about? Let's find out, in this article.
Did you know that around one third of smokers will practise their habit in the company of their children? There is simply no excuse for it and the smoker should go outside to smoke. If this is you and you think that you're not harming your children, then take a closer look.
Hospital Admissions
In the UK alone, 17,000 children under the age of 5 are hospitalised every year due to passive smoking from their parents. Also, one in three babies exposed to smoke will need a hospital visit in the first year of their life.
Cot Death
Having a parent as a smoker gives an increased chance of cot death.
Older Children
Even older children are susceptible and those exposed to passive smoke will have lower lung function and be more likely to miss school.
Cancers
Passive smoking increases the risk of nasal cancer in children.
Mental Capacity
A US study found that children with even low levels of smoke exposure had worse reasoning and reading skills compared with their peers.
As you can see, smoking does not just damage the smoker, it also damages those around them and particularly the young, who are much more susceptible to the ill effects than adults.
If you are a smoker yourself then I implore you to at the very minimum, smoke away from your children, preferable outdoors and not in the house you share with them. If you do, then you are simply being selfish and frankly not fit to be a parent.
