Effects+on+Children+and+Teens

Children are at a higher risk than adults from the effects of SHS for many reasons as stated in an article by Leader (2008):

 * A child's lung are still developing and therefore absorb a higher concentration of chemicals than adult's lungs.
 * The airways of a child are smaller than those of an adult and they become inflammed and filled with musuc when inhaling SHS. This leads to respiratory symptoms and then to infections.
 * A child breathes between 20 and 60 breaths per minute before they reach five media type="youtube" key="mE-_zA-ZZI0" width="425" height="350" align="right" years of age compared to adults that breath 14 to 18 times a minute according to Martin (2010).


 * __SHS causes children to have:__**
 * colds
 * ear infections — congestion in the ear tubes resulting in poor fluid drainage
 * bronchitis and pneumonia — especially during the first two years of life
 * asthma
 * congestion & wheezing
 * increased mucous and phlegm production

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According to Kris, Hart & Ray (2006. pg. 252) the health risks to a fetus are horrendous. The mother that smokes tobacco has blood that is tainted with nicotine, hydrogen cyanide, and carbon monoxide which flows directly to the bloodstream of the fetus.======

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Thirty years of studies have confirmed that on average, infants are born half a pound lighter than infants born to nonsmokers. Additionally, birth weight is proven to decrease as the frequency of smoking increases by the mother. This is called the dose-response relationship as stated by Kris, Hart & Ray (2006. pg.252). The child will be shorter and smaller as well as have a smaller head circumference.======

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Fortunately, there is hope for pregnant women trying to quit. Studies have shown that birth weight of the baby will be similar to those of nonsmokers if the mother quits by the fourth month of pregnancy.======

Kris, Hart & Ray (2006)

__**Statistcs**__
 * The risk of an infant dying from SIDS (Suddent Infant Death Syndrome) has more than doubled when the mother smoked during and after pregnancy.
 * SHS is responsible for the following effects in children as stated in Smoking and Tobacco and (2011)
 * Ear infections: 13% of ear infections, 220,000 per year
 * Reported asthma: 13% of asthma cases, 52,200 cases per year
 * Visits to the doctor for a cough: 200,000 visits per year
 * Diagnosed bronchitis: 43,600 cases of bronchitis
 * Lung infections: 20% of all lung infections in children under 5
 * Cases of pneumonia: 19,000 per year
 * Lower respiratory infecetions: 136-212 childhood deaths,13-20 deaths per year
 * Deaths resulting from fires started by tobacco products: 148 childhood deaths, 15 deaths per year
 * Infants dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS):180-270 infants die each year