HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Protect your children from second-hand smoke
You know that smoking is bad for your health, but have you thought about how smoking may affect your children?
Children with parents who smoke are much more likely to get sick, be admitted to hospital, and even die from cot death (now known as sudden unexpected death in infancy or SUDI). They're also a lot more likely to start smoking when they get older.
The Child Health Department at Christchurch Hospital asks parents of all children admitted to hospital if they smoke. It also provides information about how to quit smoking for those parents who want it.
The effect of smoking on children
Second-hand smoke is the smoke that comes out of a burning cigarette, and that a smoker breathes out. It has at least as many dangerous chemicals as the smoke a smoker breathes in. Breathing second-hand smoke is called passive smoking.
Passive smoking is particularly bad for children because they have small bodies, they breathe faster than adults, and their lungs and immune systems aren't as well developed.
Children can breathe second-hand smoke in many places, such as at home, in the car, at other people's homes and out in public.
Children of smokers are more likely to get:
- croup, bronchiolitis and pneumonia as babies
- wheezing illnesses and asthma
- ear infections, glue ear and tonsillitis
- serious bacterial infections such as meningococcal disease
- other diseases, such as those of the blood vessels.
They're also more likely to have learning difficulties and behaviour problems, be admitted to hospital and have complications when they need to have an anaesthetic.
Babies can be exposed to second-hand smoke even before they're born if their mother smokes while she's pregnant. This can make the baby grow slowly, increasing the risk of a low birth weight. Babies whose mothers smoked, sometimes have ongoing lung and developmental problems during childhood.
Only smoking outside
This is better than smoking inside and it's an important step in recognising that your smoking is bad for your children. But it can still affect your children.
When your children see you smoke or know that you smoke, it affects their attitude to smoking. They're more likely to become smokers as they grow up.
Smoking in only one part of the house doesn't help because the invisible gases from second-hand smoke can easily spread through the house.
Smoking in cars is much more dangerous to children than smoking indoors because a car is a small, enclosed space. Blowing your smoke out the car window doesn't help. It's illegal to smoke or vape in a vehicle that has children under 18 years old in it.
Quitting smoking
If you're keen to quit smoking, there is plenty of help available that is free or very low cost. You can contact Te Hā – Waitaha Smokefree Support, the free stop-smoking service in Canterbury on 0800‑425‑700. You can also talk to your GP, practice nurse or pharmacist or contact Quitline on 0800-778-778.
Thinking about your children's health, now and in the future, can motivate you to quit smoking and stay smokefree. But quitting smoking is hard work and you might not succeed the first time. Do not get disheartened, as you can learn something from every attempt. What you learn will eventually help you become smokefree
Making your home smokefree
Even if you cannot commit to quitting smoking, you can help to protect your children by making your home and car smokefree. Get all smokers in the house to commit to this, remove all ashtrays and lighters from indoor areas and cars, and put "No Smoking" stickers around the house. Ask all guests to only smoke outside.
On the next page: Smoking in pregnancy
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed May 2021.
SourcesReview key: HIBSF-16604
