Paediatria Croatica, Vol. 59 No. 1, 2015.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.13112/PC.2015.5
Passive smoking and disorders of the respiratory system in children
Ivan Pavić
; Klinika za dječje bolesti Zagreb
Irma Golmajer Vlahović
Ivana Pavić
Mirela Čurlin
Abstract
Although many investigations have noted harmful eff ects of passive smoking on respiratory health of children, a great proportion
of parents continue smoking and exposing their children to tobacco smoke. The main objective of this review is to highlight the
harmful eff ects of passive exposure to tobacco smoke on the respiratory system in children and to identify the possible mechanisms
of development of these disorders. It has been demonstrated that passive exposure to tobacco smoke is a signifi cant risk factor for
respiratory tract infections; it was found to reduce the levels of lung function and increase the incidence of childhood asthma. Several
studies have reported that children of smoking parents had a lower grade of motor skills and physical condition than children of
non-smoking parents. Children born to mothers that smoked during pregnancy have been shown to have an increased risk of respiratory
tract illnesses during childhood. Data on the harmful eff ects of tobacco smoke should help in launching public health preventive
action towards minimizing exposure of children to passive smoking and all detrimental infl uences of passive smoke exposure on
the children’s health.
Keywords
tobacco smoke pollution; respiratory system agents; child
Hrčak ID:
142403
URI
Publication date:
26.3.2015.
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