Kids are most affected if parents smoke

Kids exposed to tobacco smoke at home fall sick more often

According to a study, children living with smokers are more likely to have paediatric healthcare visits.

Children who live with a smoker or have exposure to tobacco smoke inside the home become frequently ill and are more likely to have paediatric healthcare visits — including sick care — say researchers.

“Our findings indicate that tobacco smoke exposure has a significant impact on demand for healthcare services,” said lead study author Ashley Merianos from University of Cincinnati.

The team analysed the 2011-2012 data from the National Survey on Children’s Health and looked at newborns to children aged 17 who were living with smokers compared with those who were not exposed to tobacco smoke at home. 

The results revealed a total of 24 per cent of the children lived with smokers.

Children who live with smokers end up in the doctor’s office or hospital more often than those not exposed to tobacco smoke.

“Paediatric emergency departments could serve as effective outlets for health messages to inform caregivers about the dangers of smoking around children and help decrease these potentially preventable tobacco smoke exposure-related visits and associated costs,” Merianos added.

The study was presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies 2016 meeting in Baltimore recently.