| Secondhand smoke is harmful to adults, but wreaks havoc on small children and babies not even born yet. I've already mentioned the 2,700 cases of sudden infant death syndrome each year resulting from ETS. I also want to mention the fact that nonsmoking pregnant women exposed to smoking spouses have been reported to produce babies of lower birthweight (National, 12). Children exposed to the smoke of family members suffer an increased number of respiratory tract infections, an increased incidence of asthma, and for those with asthma, a worsening of their condition (Bolliger, 1997). There is also evidence that parental smoking may affect the rate of lung growth in children, and an increased risk of otitis media (more commonly known as chronic ear infections) has been linked to children with smoking parents (National, 9,12). So please if you don't stop for yourself, stop for your kids or if you don't have any- the kids around you!!!! |
