Check for Second Hand Smoke-Child

Check for Second Hand Smoke-Child

Check for Second Hand Smoke

Summary of Recommendation and Evidence

Population

Recommendation

Grade
(What's This?)

Screening of both Genders

This screening is recommended for children.

B

Smoking and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure are leading causes of preventable death, and can harm a person at any stage of life- before birth, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and even adulthood. Some health effects can last a lifetime. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children be protected from tobacco smoke. Parents and caregivers should know how to protect children from these dangers.

What is Secondhand Smoke

It can come from a cigarette, cigar, or pipe. Tobacco smoke has more than 4,000 chemical compounds, at least 250 are known to cause disease.

Exposure to secondhand smoke raises the risk -- by as much as 30 percent -- that others will get lung cancer and many other types of cancer, it can lead to emphysema, and it is bad for your heart. 

Smoke makes your blood stickier, raises your "bad" LDL cholesterol, and damages the lining of your blood vessels. Eventually, these changes can make you more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.

Secondhand Smoke Exposure

  • 2 in 5 children in the US are exposed to SHS, including 7 in 10 black children
  • Children exposed to SHS are at risk of asthma, breathing problems, tooth decay, pneumonia, ear aches, sleep problems, and developmental delays
  • Smoking by parents or caregivers in the home is the most common way young children are exposed to SHS
  • Young children are also at risk from their own behaviors- crawling on floors and carpets is an easy way to ingest dust and smoke particles, as is putting hands in mouth after touching a surface (walls, floors, furniture) where smoke has settled
  • Multi-unit housing like apartments or condos is also a danger- when someone smokes in a nearby unit, nonsmokers are exposed to SHS- more than 1 in 3 nonsmokers living in rental housing are exposed to SHS
  • Smoking in a different room, using fans, or smoking in front of an open window does not prevent SHS

Secondhand Smoke Problems in children

Kids are particularly at risk for the effects of secondhand smoke because their bodies are still growing and they breathe at a faster rate than adults. 

These conditions have been linked to secondhand smoke exposure in children:

  • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
  • More respiratory infections (such as bronchitis and pneumonia)
  • More severe and frequent asthma attacks
  • Ear infections
  • Chronic cough

How to Protect against Secondhand Smoke

  • Do not allow smoking inside your home or car
  • Do not allow smoking near you, your children, or your pets
  • Ask anyone who cares for your child or pet to follow these rules- and tell them why
  • E-cigarette vapor or aerosol also contains chemicals. Do not let anyone use ecigarettes in your home, car, or near your child or pet
  • The only way to completely protect against SHS is to quit. The AAP recommends talking to your child’s pediatrician about ways to keep your child health