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| Affects Kids |
| Affects Kids |
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Illness. Children who breathe secondhand smoke are more likely
to experience pneumonia, bronchitis and decreased lung function.
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Ear Infections. Children who breathe secondhand smoke are more
likely to suffer from more middle ear infections. Ear infections are the
most common cause of children's hearing loss.
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Asthma. Children who breathe secondhand smoke can have more
frequent and more severe asthma attacks. Secondhand smoke may cause children
to develop asthma.
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SIDS. Infants who breathe secondhand smoke are at a higher risk
for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the main cause of death in babies
between one month and one year of age. As a result of secondhand smoke
exposure, 2,000 babies die of SIDS each year in the U.S. Also, an unborn
baby's exposure to secondhand smoke can result in low birth weight, SIDS
and possibly other adverse health effects.
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Dr.'s Visits. Exposure to secondhand smoke leads to over 500,000 physician
visits for asthma and 1.3 million visits for coughs, and to more than
115,000 episodes of pneumonia, 260,000 episodes of bronchitis, 2 million
cases of middle ear infections and 5,200 middle ear operations. Exposure
to secondhand smoke leads to over 500,000 physician visits for asthma
and 1.3 million visits for coughs, and to more than 115,000 episodes of
pneumonia, 260,000 episodes of bronchitis, 2 million cases of middle ear
infections and 5,200 middle ear operations.
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| Kids' Exposure Widespread |
| An estimated 15 million children in the US, and over 700,000
children in Michigan, are exposed to secondhand smoke. In detail: |
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Twenty-two percent of middle school students and 24% of high school
students are exposed to secondhand smoke in the home.
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Thirteen percent of all youth in middle school and 15% of all youth
in high school are exposed to secondhand smoke in a car every day.
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Forty-six percent of all youth in middle school are exposed to secondhand
smoke in a car at least once a week.
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| Sources: National
Cancer Institute, Smoking and Health Monograph 10, 1999. Campaign for Tobacco-Free
Kids, 2000. American Legacy Foundaton, 2003. American Academy of Otolaryngology,
2002 |
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