Further Evidence Of The Dangers Of Secondhand Smoke Uncovered

By April Clarkson, May 7th, 2013 | Health | 0 Comments

A study has suggested that children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to develop neurobehavioral disorders.

The study involved analysing the 50,000 results from a children’s health survey that was conducted in the United States. As part of the survey, parents were asked if their child had a conduct disorder such as ADHD or a learning disability. This did not need to be a formal diagnosis, and could simply be if a teacher or a doctor had told them that this was the case. The survey also asked whether anyone in the household smoked, and if the child had received any kind of counselling.

The results of the analysis, which took into account other factors such as the economic status of the family and levels of education of the parents, showed that children who were exposed to secondhand smoke were 50% more likely than those who were not to develop neurobehavioral disorders. Their likelihood of undergoing counselling was also increased by 50%. In addition, those deemed at the greatest risk were children between the ages of nine and eleven, and boys were shown to be more at risk than girls.

These results are important because they affect the estimated 5.5 million children in the United States who are regularly exposed to secondhand smoke. Earlier studies have shown that secondhand smoke, also known as passive smoking, increases the risk of children contracting meningitis, asthma and middle-ear infections.