Second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke: effects on children

Third-hand smoke is what's left behind when someone has been smoking. Third-hand smoke lands and stays on nearly every surface in the area where ... Skiptocontent Skiptonavigation Second-handsmoke:whatisit?Second-handsmokeismadeupof:‘mainstream’smoke,whichthesmokerbreathesout‘sidestream’smoke,whichdriftsfromtheendofaburningcigarette.Second-handsmokecontainstoxinsthatbabiesandchildrencanbreathein.Childrenmostcommonlycomeintocontactwithsecond-handsmokewhentheirparents,familyandfamilyfriendssmoke.Breathinginsecond-handsmokeissometimesknownaspassivesmoking.Third-handsmoke:whatisit?Third-handsmokeiswhat’sleftbehindwhensomeonehasbeensmoking.Third-handsmokelandsandstaysonnearlyeverysurfaceintheareawheresomeonehasbeensmoking,includingonskin,hair,clothing,furnitureandflooring.Thismeansbabiesandchildrenarestillexposedtotheharmfultoxinsfromcigarettes,evenafteradultshavefinishedtheircigarettes.Youcan’tgetridofthird-handsmokebyairingoutrooms,openingwindows,usingfansorairconditioners,orbyconfiningsmokingtocertainareasofahome.Whysecond-handsmokeandthird-handsmokearedangerousforchildrenSecond-handsmokeandthird-handsmokearedangerous,especiallyforbabiesandchildren.Thisisbecausebabiesandchildrenhavesmallerairwaysthangrown-ups,andtheirairwaysarestilldeveloping.Also,babiesandchildrenhavelessmatureimmunesystemsthangrown-ups.Babiesandyoungchildrenalsospendalotoftimeonornearthefloorandoftenputtheirhandsandtoysintotheirmouths.Thismeanstheycanswalloworbreatheintoxinsfromthethird-handsmokeonthefloorandothersurfaces.ChildhealthriskslinkedwithpassivesmokingChildrenexposedtosecond-handsmokeareatanincreasedriskofearlydeathanddiseasefromvariouscauses.Forexample,second-handsmokecanimpairababy’sbreathingandheartrate,whichcanputthebabyatahigherriskof sudden unexpecteddeath ininfancy(SUDI).Ifparentssmokeduringpregnancyandaftertheirbabyisborn,theirbaby’sSUDIriskincreases.Themoresecond-handsmokeababyisexposedto,thehighertheriskofSUDI.Andifchildrenareexposedtosecond-handsmoke,theycanhaveswellingandirritationintheirairways.They’remorelikelythanotherchildrentodeveloparangeof lungandotherhealthproblems.Theseproblemsinclude:asthmabronchiolitisbronchitischildhoodcancers,includingleukaemiacroupearinfectionsmeningococcaldisease,including meningitisand septicaemiapneumoniatonsillitis.Exposuretosecond-handsmokeandthird-handsmokecanaffectachild’sdevelopingbrainbecausethebrainisverysensitivetoevenverysmallamountsoftoxins.Childrenwithexistinglungandotherhealthproblemsareatanevengreaterriskfromsecond-handsmokeandthird-handsmoke.Childrenwholiveinahouseholdwhereoneormoreadultssmokeneedtogotothedoctormoreoften.Andthechancethatthey’ll takeupsmokinginadolescencedoubles.Protectingchildrenfrom second-handsmokeandthird-handsmokeThemostimportantwaytoprotectyourchildfromsecond-handandthird-handsmokeistoquitsmokingandtosupportotheradultsinyourchild’slifetoquit.Thisreduces yourchild’sexposuretosecond-handandthird-handsmoke.Italsogivesyourchildpositivenon-smokingrolemodels.Ifyou’renotquitereadytoquit,orifsomeoneelseinyourhomesmokes,therearestill thingsyoucandotoreduceyourchild’sexposuretothesmoke.Oneofthemostimportantthingsyoucandoisto makesureno-onesmokesnearyourchildinyourhouseorcar.Thismeansyou’llhavetosmokeawayfromyourchild,andthatyou’llneedtoaskotherfamilymembers,friends,carersandvisitorstodothesame.Alsomakesureno-oneeversmokesinanenclosedareanearyourchild.Youmightneedtoexplaintofriendsandfamilythatsimplyblowingsmokeawayfromyourchilddoesn’tprotectyourchildfromtheharmfuleffectsofsmoke.Youcouldsaythatyou’rekeentokeepyourchildhealthybyminimisingtheirexposuretosmoke.Whenvisitingfriendsorleavingchildreninthecareofsomeoneelse,trytomakesuretheenvironmentisfreeofsmoke.Neversmokeinacarthatcarrieschildren.Openingthecarwindowisn’tenoughtostopsmokeaffectingchildren.It’sillegaltosmokeinacarthatcarriesachildundertheageof16-18years.You’llbefinedifyou’recaughtsmokinginacarthatcarrieschildren.Theonlywaytoprotectchildrenfromthird-handsmokeistohaveasmoke-freehomeandcar.Everychildhastherighttoliveandgrowinasmoke-freeenvironment.Thiscanmakeabigdifferencetochildren’shealthanddevelopment.That’swhyit’sOKforyoutoaskfriendsandfamilynottosmokeanywherenearyourchild.GettinghelptoquitsmokingIfyouneedmoreadviceaboutquittingsmokingortheeffectsthatsmokinghasonyourchild,thereareservices,supportandresourcesavailable.YoucanstartbytalkingtoyourGPoranotherhealthprofessional,orbycallingQuitlineon137848.