Health hazard for children Middle ear infections by passive smoking

Passive smoking is a major threat to the health of children

Smokers who light cigarettes in the presence of their offspring severely endanger the health of the little ones. Passive smoking can cause middle ear infections in children, among other things.

Smoking also endangers fellow human beings

Smoking not only harms one's own health, but is also dangerous for others. According to previous World Health Organization (WHO) international data collection, passive smoking kills 600,000 people annually. Studies have shown that the passive smoke above all heart diseases such as heart attack, respiratory diseases such as asthma and lung cancer can be favored. Passive smoking is a major health hazard, especially for children.

Passive smoking is especially for unborn children and a great health risk dar. The then lurking otitis media according to experts are still among the harmless diseases. (Image: photo 5000 / fotolia.com)

Middle ear infections by smoke of the parents

Passive smoking is a major threat to the unborn and children and adolescents, warns. Freerk Prenzel, senior physician at the Department of Paediatrics at the University Hospital Leipzig.

"If a toddler constantly suffers from otitis media and smells his stuff after smoke, doctors and nurses, but also aunts and grandmothers should be aware," said the expert in child pneumology and child allergology in a statement.

"Because middle ear infections could be a consequence of the fact that the parents smoke - and the child constantly passive with."

Developmental damage that can be felt throughout life

Although it is well-known that smoking harms the health of the unborn baby during pregnancy, thousands of expectant mothers keep on smoking.

Smoking Pregnant women themselves or being exposed to continuous tobacco consumption may cause developmental damage to the expectant child, which will have a negative impact throughout later life.

In extreme cases, these injuries can even lead to premature birth or miscarriage.

"Sudden infant death syndrome, birth defects, impaired lung function, cardiovascular disease, mental retardation, and behavioral disorders are also associated with indirect nicotine use," explains Drs. Prenzel.

Children on the balcony smoke at risk

Even if the child is born and the parents smoke, the dangers do not diminish. The then lurking otitis media according to the expert are still among the harmless diseases.

Pulmonary infections and asthma, cancers, metabolic disorders and changes in the immune system are not uncommon.

"The daily impact of tobacco smoke is the biggest problem," said the Leipzig pediatrician.

"And if the parents want to calm themselves down by saying they only smoke outside on the balcony - I have to say that studies show that the substances released when smoking are on the hands, the clothing and then too be detected in house dust, "says Dr. Prenzel.

"And on the carpet, the little ones crawl around. No wonder then that the degradation products of nicotine are found in the urine of the children. "

No cigarettes in the car

The smoking of parents in the car is from the doctor's point of view, a "significant threat to their own children." It does not matter whether the air conditioning is running, a window is open or not.

Even a single cigarette has a very intense effect on a cubic meter of more or less closed space.

In some countries smoking in the car is therefore prohibited when children are on board.

Stop smoking

According to Dr. Prenzel would see the consistent implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and the realization of the Lancet Journal's goal of reducing the number of smokers to below five percent of the population by 2040 a major step forward in terms of children's health.

"In Germany, the smoking ban on most restaurants, with the partial restriction of tobacco advertising and the imprint of disease on cigarette packs has already moved quite a bit," said the physician.

"Nevertheless, I consider it a fundamental mistake not to completely ban tobacco advertising."

At the same time, he is sure that not only does smoking have to be branded, but smokers must also be helped to get rid of the addiction.

When giving up smoking, portals such as "rauchfrei-info.de" of the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) can help with information.

"I do something for myself with no smoking, I do something for my children with no smoking and I do something for my wallet with no smoking - if it were possible to implant these insights into the brains of smokers, much would have been gained," said the pediatrician. (Ad)