Tobacco.org

Early smoke exposure ups serious infection risk 

Children who are exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke early in life are at greater risk of being hospitalized for infections than those brought up in a smoke-free environment, researchers from Hong Kong report.

The risk of being hospitalized was greatest among babies 6 months old and younger, but the increased risk persisted up until the children were 8 years old, Dr. M. K. Kwok of the University of Hong Kong and colleagues found. Children who were premature or low birth weight were particularly vulnerable.

The findings suggest that secondhand smoke exposure may not only be harmful to children's respiratory tracts, but to their immune systems as well, Kwok and colleagues say.

Jump to full article »