Passive smoking in babies increases the risk of respiratory diseases
The many dangers of smoking near babies and children They are widely known, but from time to time experts in this regard remind us that we are talking about very serious risks: Daily exposure of infants and young children increases the risk of respiratory infections by up to 70 percent of repetition and its complications.
Among these complications due to tobacco smoke are otitis and even episodes of wheezing, according to the child pneumologist at the King Juan Carlos Elena Alonso University Hospital on the occasion of a campaign launched by the health center to warn of the serious repercussions of the Smoking in children's health.
Tobacco and children
The risks for babies and children double if the mother smokes during pregnancy: this triples the baby's risk of dying from sudden death and, after birth and during childhood, the risk of recurrent respiratory infections increases 70 percent.
"It is general knowledge that passive exposure to tobacco smoke during childhood has important negative repercussions, whether the exposure is intrauterine (that is, if the mother during pregnancy is an active or passive smoker) or day to day after birth, "explains the expert.
However, no matter how often the risks are repeated, we often see children exposed to tobacco smoke, so the experts continue to warn. This doctor explains that in babies, in addition to tripling the chances of sudden death, tobacco smoke also increases the risk of bronchitis in the first months of life compared to children whose mothers have been away from smoke in pregnancy.
Skin problems
The problems and risks associated with smoke of the tabacco not only have to do with breathing: recent studies also associate atopic dermatitis and food allergies to the presence of tobacco in the minors. In addition, tobacco smoke in asthmatic children causes children to have spirometric values descended with respect to other children not exposed to such fumes.
It is for all these risks that the work of health centers continues raise awareness of these risksyou. As explained from this hospital, anti-smoking groups do not focus only on adults, but also on minors who live around people who smoke.
"The most important and effective measures of preventive action are the programs of information and advice jointly carried out by the pediatrician and the pediatric nurse, "adds an extra child pulmonologist, who says that these tasks, together with anti-smoking programs for adults," significantly reduce the inhalation of tobacco smoke in childhood and, therefore, improve the quality of current and later life of our children ".
Angela R. Bonachera
