How does secondhand smoke affect babies?
Infants and toddlers have tiny bodies, tiny lungs, and breathe rapidly. All of these things increase how smoke can affect them. “The EPA estimates that passive smoking is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children under 18 months of age annually, resulting in between 7,500 and 15,000 hospitalizations each year.”[3] Some major risks for babies from ETS are: • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) • Asthma • Decreased lung function • Pneumonia and bronchitis • Sinus problems that can lead to fluid in the middle ear, which can then lead to ear infections, doctor’s visits, operations and childhood hearing loss. How does secondhand smoke affect kids? Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) puts children at risk for serious health problems. Breathing in second-hand smoke is also called “involuntary smoking” or “passive smoking”). Can you imagine giving a cigarette to your two-year-old? The exposures to secondhand smoke can affec
