Posted on 05/23/2006 11:53:56 AM PDT by Moonman62
SAN FRANCISCO -- A new Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study shows that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, even at extremely low levels, is associated with behavior problems in children and pre-teens.
While the study examined 5 to 11 year olds with asthma, the findings most likely could be extrapolated to include children without asthma who "act out" or experience depression and anxiety, according to Kimberly Yolton, Ph.D., a researcher at the Children's Environmental Health Center at Cincinnati Children's and the study's main author
The study will be presented at 8:30 a.m. Pacific time Sunday, April 30, at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies in San Francisco.
"This study provides further incentive for states to set public health standards to protect children from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke," says Dr. Yolton.
Dr. Yolton examined 225 children and pre-teens exposed to at least five cigarettes a day. On average, the children were exposed to approximately 14 cigarettes a day. The children were enrolled in an asthma intervention study. Dr. Yolton included additional measures to assess child behaviors.
To measure exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, Dr. Yolton measured levels of cotinine in the children's blood. Cotinine is a substance produced when nicotine is broken down by the body and can be measured in blood, urine, saliva and hair. It is considered the best available marker of environmental tobacco smoke exposure.
Dr. Yolton found a relationship between cotinine levels and increases in acting out; increases in holding things in, often manifested by anxiety and depression; increases in behavior problems as rated by parents, and behavior and school problems as rated by teachers; and, decreases in the ability to adapt to behavior problems.
"The greater the exposure to tobacco smoke, the greater the problems these children had," says Dr. Yolton. "Behavior problems in children have increased from 7 to 18 percent over the last 20 years for reasons that are poorly understood. Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for child behavior problems."
In the United States, about 25 percent of children are exposed to environmental tobacco smoke in their own homes, yet more than 50 percent of children have detectable levels of cotinine in their blood, according to Dr. Yolton.
Previous studies have found link between tobacco smoke and birth weight, number of infections and other health problems, including asthma exacerbations. In a groundbreaking study in 2002, Dr. Yolton found that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, even at extremely low levels, is associated with decreases in certain cognitive skills, including reading, math, and logic and reasoning, in children and adolescents.
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Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center is a 475-bed institution devoted to bringing the world the joy of healthier kids. Cincinnati Children's is dedicated to transforming the way health care is delivered by providing care that is timely, efficient, effective, family-centered, equitable and safe. Cincinnati Children's ranks third nationally among all pediatric centers in research grants from the National Institutes of Health. It is a teaching affiliate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The Cincinnati Children's vision is to be the leader in improving child health. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org.
I smoke and my children ceased being defenseless shortly after they became mobile.
Within a generation, they will be among your rulers, and they agree with me.
Make your peace.
Actually you posted a mess of propaganda that did not address the core question........There has been an increase of behaviorial problems with children, at the same time that smoking rates among parents (and adults in general) has been declining on a regular basis.
I know why my child has been having problems in school of late - she's bored out of her mind. It has nothing to do with exposure to SHS. The same is true for the daughter of my closest frined. And that child only encounters SHS when she is at her grandma's house or in mine.
Bless you.......I venture to say your wife appreciates that attitude :)
Besides, who wants to shop for 5 hours when you can be constructive and be on a conservative forum for that long instead? :)
I, however have some serious doubts about this forum being conservative.......I've dealt with far too many folks today WHO HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE "NANNY STATE"
Sorry for shouting, but that's how I feel.
And now I'm going to make my date with my pillow and maybe I will resume this conversation sometime tomorrow........but that's very iffy, as I have far too much to do tomorrow.
Excellent post, professor.
ping
What a load of poo.
It took you that many words to admit you can't explain why decreasing smoking rates corresponded with an increase in teenage rebellion despite your fake study claiming otherwise? Thanks for playing.
Bad smoking parent here,Moonman 2.
No problems with the 5 kids,asthma or behavioral.
Just more insanity from the smoke-hating crowd.
As my Irish mother-in law used to say about people like you,"That boyo is full of himself".
A real,honest-to-goodness do gooder right here on FR.
Don't break your arm patting yoourself on the back.
What consequences would you suggest?
Go ahead, say it.
Well, thanks!!! :)
But I found out that I have very low tolerance for fellow FReepers when they come into the smoking threads and bash us! I mean, aren't we supposed to be on the same side in here???!!!!
Extremely well put, friend.
I know. I hear ya metesky.......
But I found out that I have very low tolerance for fellow FReepers when they come into the smoking threads and bash us! I mean, aren't we supposed to be on the same side in here???!!!!
You would think so, but there has been a whole lot of bashing going on here of late. :-(
Super post.
You really laid the smack-down with that one.
You know what they have in mind. And they think they're "helping the children".
Hitler had alot of these anti programs, too. They targeted, and ostracized people in the same way.
He really helped the "children", didn't he.
That's one reason I never go over to the Yahoo Smoking Boards because the anti's are mean and hateful and I see enough of them right here on our own forum to last me for months. I am not a glutton for punishment but some of our own FReepers really trash the Freeper that smoke. Just seems a bit sad that they can't separate the Republican/Conservative beliefs just because they hate smokers.
There has to be some tolerance among us, you know it? I would NEVER talk to another FReeper the way these FR anti's talk to us because we use a legal product.
Just sickening.
You brought up a good point in this post.
"just seems a bit sad that they can't separate the Republican/Conservative beliefs just because they hate smokers."
Anyone, who demands legislation be brought forth that basically, at it's core destoys private property-rights , causes more TAXATION, and destroys freedom of choice regarding a LEGAL product, IS NO CONSERVATIVE.
Now, they might be a republican, but they are no conservative.
They can squall all day long how conservative they are, but I ain't buying their BS anylonger.
"....the findings most likely could be extrapolated..."
In other words, they made it up.
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