Susceptible to asthma and bronchitis Even on the balcony smoking endangers children

Even outside smoking parents endanger the health of their children
There are probably only a few smokers who even in the presence of their children light a cigarette. But even if parents go to smoke on the balcony or on the front door, they endanger the health of their offspring, according to experts.

Smoking also endangers fellow human beings
Tobacco consumption endangers not only the own, but also the health of fellow humans. According to a previous World Health Organization (WHO) international survey, passive smoking kills 600,000 people annually. Studies have shown that passive heartbreaks can cause heart diseases such as heart attacks, respiratory diseases such as asthma and lung cancer. And even if smokers go outside for their cigarette, they endanger their children's health. This was pointed out by experts before the 20th German Lungentag in Göttingen.

Even if parents only smoke on the balcony or on the doorstep, their children are much more likely to have asthma or bronchitis than children of non-smokers. (Image: BillionPhotos.com/fotolia.com)

Smoke in the hair and clothes
That passive smoking is unhealthy, should now be common knowledge. But even when parents go outside for their cigarette, they endanger their offspring.

"Who smokes on the balcony or on the doorstep, then drag in his hair and clothes smoke in the apartment," said the lung specialist Christiane Lex of the University of Göttingen (UMG) in a message from the news agency dpa.

"And if children come into contact with it, it can make them ill," said Lex, who heads the focus on pediatric lung disease at the UMG and this year organizes the central event of the 20th German Lungentages.

In apartments meanwhile smokes less
Meanwhile, most smoking parents are aware that the smoke is dangerous for their children. "In apartments, therefore, less and less smoked," said the expert. Many parents reported that they "only" smoke on the balcony or in front of the door.

"They think that this is no longer a danger to their children." However, this is wrong. "Even though parents only smoke outside, their children have significantly more often asthma or bronchitis than children from non-smokers," says the lung specialist.

There are more threats to health risks. As the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) writes on its website: "Children of smoking parents are more likely to suffer from acute and chronic respiratory diseases such as coughing, sputum, wheezing and shortness of breath and they have more frequent middle ear infections than children of non-smoking parents."

The pulmonologist Tobias Raupach from the University of Göttingen pointed out in the dpa report that although there are no studies on the extent of the danger to children emanating from "outside smokers".

But cigarette smoke contains such a high concentration of fine dust particles, "that the exposure to small amounts can have an effect on the organism".

Unhealthy substances are dragged into the apartment
"Those who smoke outside, carry nicotine and carcinogenic substances, respirable particles and other toxic substances in the apartment," said Katrin Schaller of the DKFZ in the agency message.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, of which at least 200 are harmful to humans.

According to DKFZ, components of tobacco smoke not only get out of the hair and clothes, but also from the hands into the air.

In addition, smokers exhaled smoke particles up to 90 seconds after the last move. All this leads to residues of tobacco smoke being found even in apartments where no one has ever lit a cigarette.

Children are particularly sensitive
The pediatrician Gesine Hansen of the Hannover Medical School (MHH) also stated: "Smoking is a major risk factor for lung disease in children, even in smoker households, where smoking is only outdoors."

According to the pediatrician, there are, for example, increased nicotine levels in house dust in the homes of such households.

According to cancer researcher Schaller, infants and toddlers are primarily affected by the introduced smoke: "You take them in your arms." There is also a risk, as little children take everything in their mouths and suck them off.

Although relatively little is known about the long-term effects of this pollutant intake, but according to the Federal Center for Health Education children react in principle particularly sensitive to the toxins contained in tobacco smoke, because their organs are still in development. For example, the lungs can be quickly damaged significantly.

It is best not to smoke at all
Therefore Schaller recommends according to dpa: "If you smoke outside, it is best with jacket and cap, which you pull out afterwards, so that no smoke gets into clothing and hair."

The MHH doctor Hansen advises parents, "completely abstain from smoking in order not to harm their children sustainably".

And the Göttingen pulmonologist Raupach declared: "Since there is no threshold for the effect of passive smoking on the organism, below which there is no danger, any exposure is associated with a danger."

Improved non-smoker protection could possibly also be a tobacco advertising ban. After all, according to experts, Germany is still a smoker's paradise. (Ad)