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Health alert: Young children whose parents smoke may endure a long-term impact
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We all know that smoking is a major health hazard and that second-hand smoke can be harmful to those around smokers. But for any of you who are struggling to quit--or if your children are exposed to anyone else who smokes--take notice of these new studies released this week describing specific long-term consequences your children may be at risk of developing.
Please share this information with anyone else whose children may be exposed to second-hand smoke--and post your comments here.
The Findings
A study presented this week at the American Thoracic Society annual meeting reported that children of smokers experienced a higher risk of developing early emphysema later in life--even if they, themselves, never smoked. The health impact on children decades later was previously not well known.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/05/20/professional/links/20090520epid003.html
Another study presented at this conference showed that children of women who smoked during pregnancy or their early years of life were more likely to become smokers themselves as young adults--and that this was the case regardless of whether the mother did not smoke during the child's later childhood. Moreover, this exposure also resulted in smokers who are less likely to quit smoking than those whose mothers didn't smoke during that time period. http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20090519/hl_hsn/kidsmoreapttosmokeifmomdidwhilepregnant
The Help
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers encouragement and suggestions for helping kids to grow up smoke-free (see link below for numerous free resources). These recommendations include initiating dialogue with children about smoking starting around age 5 or 6. http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/secondhand_smoke/index.htm
The American Lung Association website includes a page of resources for New Yorkers interested in smoking, including a phone hotline and reading material: http://www.lungusa.org/site/c.dvLUK9O0E/b.4748111/
Other organizations, such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the American Heart Association offer free resources to educate people about the dangers of smoking and about how to quit. http://www.epa.gov/smokefree/ http://www.amhrt.org/downloadable/heart/1137712222939SmokingCessPubs.pdf
The Extra Incentive: Your Time with Your Kids (and Theirs with You)
When I struggle with maintaining healthy habits, I fast forward in my mind to my kids' milestones: I want to be there for their graduation, their wedding, their babies.
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