Although it seems hard to believe, tobacco smoke affects 700 million children, half of the world's child population, so this fact becomes a public health problem. And not a problem away from our environment: Spain is the country where more parents smoke in front of their children, at least in data from a few years ago.
Although the new restrictive laws may have changed the situation somewhat. In any case, we continue smoking in front of children and we see that every day in our environment. Let's see what they are the risks of passive smoking for children's health, even before birth.
- Smoking during pregnancy is harmful to the fetus in formation. Children of mothers who smoke during pregnancy have a higher risk of having a low birth weight, more frequent pulmonary respiratory infections during the first two years of life. In addition, smoking during pregnancy is a risk factor that increases the likelihood of sudden infant death syndrome.
Babies exposed to smokeEven before birth, they are at greater risk of infections and high levels of carcinogens, even when there is what is called "third-hand" smoke, which is not direct smoke but the remains that remain in a place where it has been smoked
Passive smoking has been associated, in children, with a increased respiratory diseases (for example asthma or pneumonia) and also an increase in the incidence of acute otitis media episodes.
The risk of a child becoming a future smoker also increases if his parents are smokers.
Tobacco use during adolescence can be associated with other risky behaviors (more likely to consume alcohol and even engage in risky sexual behaviors).
Fortunately, the legal regulations that are being carried out in some countries to limit or prohibit tobacco use in public spaces have some positive impact on children's health. This encourages the promotion of legislative initiatives of this type and their compliance should be monitored later.
Although it is clear that information campaigns, social and health policies, the education of the population has much to do with a change in attitude in this regard. And no doubt the paternal example is fundamental, probably if we became more aware of the risks of passive smoking for children They wouldn't light so many cigarettes in his presence.
