Prevent your child from being a passive smoker
If he tobacco it is bad for those who consume it, it is infinitely worse for those who are by your side, because they are the ones that 'consume' the toxic smoke that is released to the smoker. This is what the Spanish Association of Pediatrics in Primary Care, AEP, warns that this is especially harmful for pregnant women and children.
The dangers for passive smokers
We are not talking about something trivial. As the pediatricians explain, those who are in environments where there is smoke "are inhaling toxic substances and highly damaging to health that are released into the air from tobacco"These are passive smokers, who unwittingly and without smoking are seeing their health worsened by those who smoke by their side.
These are the dangerous ones consequences for health of being a passive smoker
- Respiratory diseases acute and chronic respiratory symptoms.
- Asthma and aggravation of asthmatic symptoms.
- Increase in respiratory symptoms (such as cough, sore throat, ear problems).
- Greater risk of suffering lung cancer.
- Increased risk of heart problems: myocardial infarction, angina.
Smoking and children
If we talk about passive smoking, the most harmed are the children, because they have a less developed respiratory system and, above, can not choose voluntarily what they are exposed to (if those who smoke are the parents, for example).
To this is added that, as the pediatricians say, "there is no safe level of exposure", that is, from the first moment in which the child is exposed to tobacco smoke this is hurting him. In addition, there is no way to eliminate this smoke, much less the toxic products it contains.
Children exposed to tobacco smoke are more likely to fall ill. These are the direct consequences that have been observed in minor passive smokers, according to the AEP.
- Greater possibility of developing bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia and otitis. Asthmatic children have symptoms more serious and more frequent.
- During pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth or low birth weight, which increases the risk of death at birth.
- They have a higher risk of suffering sudden infant death syndrome.
How to prevent our son from being a passive smoker
It is clear that smoking is negative and that, in the case of the passive smoker, it is even more dangerous. How can we prevent our son from being exposed to such dangerous circumstances? If we really want to protect our treasures, It is easy Follow these instructions from pediatricians:
- Always avoid exposing our child to tobacco smoke at home, in the car, in the homes of family and friends, and in any public place.
- Whenever possible, choose smoke-free environments. If an adult still smokes, they should always do so outside the home or from any closed place.
- If you smoke on a balcony, you must completely close the access door to the house. This will protect others and the smoker himself from the consequences of passive smoking.
- In essence, "only one environment 100% tobacco smoke free can protect families and especially children, from the serious problems caused by air polluted by tobacco smoke, "so that in the hands of the family is doing well.
Damián Montero
