New research has shown that children are extra sensitive to smoke. They don’t have to smoke for that themselves. The remains of tobacco smoke that remain on people and furniture can also cause health problems for children. If kids inhale smoke even indirectly, that might lead to permanent changes in the brain. Very little research has been done in children. However, animal studies have been done. Based on this, it is suspected that nicotine can cause permanent changes in the brain. So, what can we do? Read it in this blog.

Smoking at a young age increases the risk of brain changes. These permanent changes in the brain can make it more difficult for young people to quit smoking later in their lives. This is not only applicable to inhaling smoke from a cigarette yourself, but also for secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke is harmful to children

When children in the area are exposed to smoke, this is called second-hand smoke. Children then inhale the toxic substances from tobacco smoke. Secondhand smoke is especially unhealthy for children. Their bodies and lungs are still developing and in growth. Children can therefore also become ill from second-hand smoke.

Children who regularly smoke secondhand are more likely to:

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (in babies and small children)
• Pneumonia
• Coughing, shortness of breath, and wheezing
• Asthma
• Ear infection
• Red and stinging eyes
• Meningitis
• Lungs that develop less well

Sometimes children do not immediately get complaints from secondhand smoke, but only when they are older. Second-hand smokers are more likely to start smoking themselves. They are also more likely to develop cancer, cardiovascular disease, or lung disease.

Even smoking outside is harmful

Even if parents smoke outside, they can still pass harmful substances on to children. The toxic substances from smoke remain behind in, for example, hair, clothing, skin, furniture, and carpeting. Children ingest these substances by inhaling and touching them. Young children are even more sensitive to this, because they crawl on the floor, put objects in their mouths and have a lot of physical contact. This smoke is also unhealthy for children. Smoking outside therefore does not prevent children from ingesting the harmful substances from smoke. As a parent, it is therefore better to stop smoking completely.

Asthma in children

Children with asthma have sensitive lungs. Smoking makes a child more prone to asthma. Also, the medicine given to comfort asthmatic kids won’t work so well. With asthma, your child suffers from wheezing, shortness of breath or coughing. Your child is more tired and quickly short of breath with exertion. Complaints are often caused by pollen, pets, dust mites, smoke, colds, running, stress, cold or fog. Make sure no one smokes near your child, not even outside. Let your child exercise and do sports to stay fit. Your child will be given medicine to inhale.

Quit smoking

It might be an open door but quit smoking might be the best solution, not only for your kids but also for your own health. We all know that, but it is not so easy. Quitting smoking isn’t just difficult because of the withdrawal symptoms. It’s also hard because you need to rethink your habits. You also need new ways to deal with stress and emotions.

The disadvantages of smoking

Besides the health for children and others around you, it also does a lot to your own health. You may notice some of the disadvantages of smoking on a day-to-day basis. What do you notice?

• You get tired quickly during sports, frolicking with (grand) children, climbing stairs, and so on.
• You cough
• Smoking costs a lot of money
• You have tawny fingers and teeth
• Ceilings, curtains, walls, etc. turn yellow brown
• Your hair and clothes stink of smoke
• You are afraid that you do not have enough cigarettes with you

What do you only notice after a long time?

Sooner or later, you will suffer from smoking. Half of all smokers are more likely to die from smoking. A quarter of smokers (1 in 4) even die before their 65th birthday. 

Disadvantages for your body and your health

• Heart and vessels
• heart attack
• high blood pressure
• blindness
• other cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

Skin

• wrinkles at a young age
• more wrinkles
• gray haze over your skin.

Lungs

• COPD or smoker’s lung (you cough up a lot of mucus and have little air)
• lung cancer.

Brain

• Stroke

Sex and reproduction

• women: difficult to conceive
• men: impotence, less and less good sperm
• pregnant women: a miscarriage or premature baby.

Wounds

• Wounds heal more slowly, which means faster and more inflammation.

We can help you

Quitting smoking is difficult, but not impossible.

Contact your Urban Care Clinic doctor. Together you can find the best way for you to quit smoking. Read on via the Urban Care Clinic portal.

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