Children and Passive Smoking: a Review
Clinical Review Children and Passive Smoking: A Review Anne C h a rlto n , M E d , P h D Manchester, England Background. For the past 40 years, evidence has been cals from the smoke transferred in the milk. It is diffi accumulating on the effects of passive smoking on the cult to separate prenatal and postnatal effects with re ferns and on children. Over this period, research meth gard to growth, development, and lung function ods have become more precise and accurate, with con retardation. There is, however, a definite increase in re founding factors controlled for and actual exposure to spiratory diseases, otitis media, and minor ailments, smoke measured and validated by cotinine tests on which are unequivocally related to parental, especially body fluids. This review follows the progress of these maternal, smoking. studies and assesses the weight o f evidence for various Conclusions. There is now sufficient evidence that health risks of passive smoking on children from before health problems in children are related to maternal, and birth to adolescence. to a lesser degree paternal, smoking during pregnancy, Methods. Nearly 200 research papers published world and, after birth, to exposure to environmental tobacco wide were reviewed. smoke (ETS) in the home and daycare centers. Expo sure to ETS should be noted on pediatric patients’ Results. Effects of maternal smoking on the fetus in problem lists and addressed at each visit. clude low birthweight, increased risk of spontaneous abortion, and perinatal death. The effect of maternal Key words. Smoking; tobacco smoke pollution; fetal smoking on breast feeding is still enigmatic.
[Show full text]