Asthma

Your smoking does affect your child’s lungs and his risk for asthma. Don’t fool yourself into believing otherwise.

Consider these facts:

• Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with increased wheezing during infancy, cautions the AAAAI.
• Children are more susceptible to the effects of secondhand smoke because their lungs are still developing.
• Children who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely to suffer from bronchitis and pneumonia, ear infections, coughing and wheezing and more frequent and severe asthma attacks.

It is essential that children with any history of asthma (no matter how well controlled) should not be exposed to secondhand smoke – not in their own home or anywhere else.

How to keep your home smoke free
(Tips from the AAAAI)

• Choose not to smoke in your home. Do not permit others to smoke in your home.
• Choose not to smoke if any children are present, especially children younger than six years. They are especially vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke.
• Do not allow babysitters or others who work in your home to smoke in the house or near young children.
• If you must smoke, choose to smoke outside. Moving to another room or opening a window is not enough to protect your children.   

Read more:
Moms' Smoking May Lead to Baby's Asthma
Smoking outside doesn’t shield kids

National Asthma Education Programme (NAEP)
Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA)

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