Parental Smoking Adversely Affects Children’s Education

A recent article in the journal Pediatrics found that second-hand in the home has an adverse effect on school attendance. While it’s common knowledge that second-hand smoke is dangerous to the health of those in the same breathing space, this smoke has many more negative effects on children than just poor health – it also effects their education.

The study, which involved a national group of participants, revealed that between one-quarter and one-third of the days missed from school were associated with smoking-related illnesses acquired from home. Illnesses that kept children home from school were largely respiratory tract infections and chest colds. Of interest, the researchers also looked at households that contained only one smoker in the residence and compared it to two or more smokers. As would be expected, the results showed that the more smokers in the house, the more days the child was absent from school.

While it is well documented that inhaling second-hand smoke can lead to a plethora of health issues, especially for children (i.e. including asthma, infections and colds), smoking can negatively affect a child’s learning skills. Children who miss school often miss critical lessons taught in their classroom as well as important assignments, both that can lead to a sense of pressure to catch up. Some children are often unable to catch up and therefore failing or settling for lower grade than they are actually capable of earning.

Aside from the educational disadvantages to the children living with parents or guardians who smoke, there are also significant economic losses associated with smoking in homes with school-age children. As noted in the study, 70% of the parents were employed and had to take days off from work to be with their sick child. If one parent stayed home every day a child stayed home from school, the study found that this represented lost work time of $176 million in 2005 dollars based on the average salaries and jobs reported by those involved with the study (average salary = $20,000).

In essence, smoking obviously has negative health effects but it is now connected with school absences and poor child educational experiences as well as economic losses.

While smoking is considered one of the hardest habits to quit, it is also one of the addictions with the most available help across the nation. Parents need to understand that although they may feel better and relaxed with their routine nicotine fix, they are adversely affecting their child’s health, education, and overall well-being. Saying ‘no’ to the cigarettes is the best way to improve the well-being of the entire family.

Here are some local and state resources to get help you quit smoking and protect your children:www.determinedtoquit.com


1. Talk with your primary care physician
2. Freedom From Smoking Program
Crawford County Drug & Alcohol Executive Commission, Inc.
Meadville, PA: 814-724-4100
3. The Pennsylvania State Health Center/Department of Health
Website: www.health.state.pa.us/quitnow
Meadville, PA: 814-332-6947
4. Meadville Medical Center
Meadville, PA: 814-333-5000
5. Freedom From Smoking Program
Titusville Area Hospital
Titusville, PA: 814-827-1851 ext. 358
6. QuitNet
Erie County Department of Health
Erie, PA: 814-451-6709
7. Smoke Free For Life
American Respiratory Alliance
Cranberry Township, PA: 724-772-1750
8. Smokeless Saturday
American Respiratory Alliance of Western Pennsylvania
Cranberry Township, PA: 724-772-1750
9. Determined to quit website:
10. Penn Lung Center: 800-789-PENN (7366) for counseling referral
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A Few Key Facts About Secondhand Smoke and Children


Children who spend one hour in an extremely smoky room inhale enough toxic chemicals to equal smoking 10 cigarettes.Children in smoking households experience more middle ear infections. Inhaled cigarette smoke irritates the Eustachian tube, and the subsequent swelling leads to infections, which are the most common cause of hearing loss in children. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that between 200,000 and 1,000,000 kids with asthma have their condition worsened by secondhand smoke.It has been estimated that between 50 and 75 percent of children in the United States have detectable levels of cotanine in their bloodstream. (Cotanine is a substance that is created in the body when nicotine metabolizes.) Children face a higher risk than adults of negative effects of secondhand smoke because their breathing rate is faster. In other words, they take in more air (or smoke) per minute than an adultYoung children may have poor lung development when breathing in the toxins from cigarette smoke.

References:

Levy, D. E., Winickoff, J. P., Rigotti, N. A. (2011). School absenteeism among children living with smokers. Pediatrics, 128(4), 1067-1074. Retrieved September 8, 2011 from
 http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/secondhandsmoke/a/smokeandkids.htm.

Martin, T. (2010). Secondhand smoke and children. How secondhand smoke affects a child. Retrieved September 8, 2011 from
 http://webserver.health.state.pa.us/health/custom/tobaccocessation.asp?county=Crawford.

Pennsylvania Department of Health. (2011). Pre-approved tobacco cessation registry, Crawford County. Retrieved September 8, 2011 from