You give your child love, comfort and security. Are you also giving him arsenic, benzene and a future that includes heart disease? If you smoke, the answer is yes.

A new study indicates that children exposed to second hand smoke are at risk for heart damage that may or may not be reversible. And the younger the child the more danger second hand smoke poses.

The chemicals, toxins and metals in second hand smoke
Second hand smoke is the combination of smoke that comes from the burning end of a cigarette, cigar or pipe and the smoke exhaled by the smoker. It contains more than 50 substances that can cause cancer, including arsenic (a heavy metal toxin), benzene (a chemical found in gasoline), and cadmium (a metal used in batteries).

How second hand smoke affects children
It has been known for years that children exposed to secondhand smoke are at an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), ear infections, colds, pneumonia, bronchitis and more severe asthma. But the recent study, presented to the American Heart Association, found that children exposed to second hand smoke showed signs of vascular injury, suggesting a greater risk of heart disease.

Younger children are most vulnerable to second hand smoke
The study, which focused on children from 2 to 14 years old, found that the youngest children appeared to be most affected, with almost six times the average nicotine levels of older children. In fact, 40 percent of the toddlers in the study had nicotine levels equal to adult smokers.

The report states that toddlers are hit particularly hard as they tend to spend more time in close proximity with their parents. They also breathe more rapidly, therefore inhaling more of the smoke.

Researchers stated that when active smokers quit, the risk of heart disease is lowered. However, there is evidence that cardiovascular disease may be imprinted in early life, therefore it is not known whether the damage is reversible in children exposed to second hand smoke.

How to protect children from second hand smoke
The American Lung Association estimates that between 50 to 67 percent of children under 5 years of age live in homes with at least one adult smoker. Since there is no safe amount of second hand smoke:

• Quit smoking; if you are having trouble quitting, seek help from your healthcare provider.
• If you cannot quit, do not smoke in the house, in the car, or anywhere near the children.
• After smoking, change your clothes before approaching the children; wash hands thoroughly to reduce exposure.
• Prohibit other people from smoking in your home, especially baby-sitters or others who are responsible for caring for your children.
• Ask smokers to go outside when they light up.
• Ask for non-smoking areas in restaurants.
• Make sure your child's daycare, school and after-school programs are smoke-free.

Source: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Newsletter.
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