In 2010, a 2-year-old Indonesian boy, Aldi Suganda, made headlines when a video showing him smoking went viral! The poor kid was reportedly so addicted to nicotine that he was smoking up to 40 cigarettes a day, and would throw tantrums and hit his head against the floor whenever his parents tried to get him to cut back. Although this is a more-than-extreme case, it clearly shows how harmful smoking can be to a kid's mental and physical health - and that's true even when the exposure is from strictly secondhand smoke.
A new study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry that looked at more than 1,000 children backs this up. It found that kids exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke in the first four years of life (even when their mom didn't smoke while pregnant) are more likely to develop signs of hyperactivity and other behavioral problems. That's because the smoke affects brain development in regions related to hyperactivity and impulsivity.
This is on top of other smoke-exposure-related health problems among young kids, including lower respiratory tract infections, severe asthma attacks, ear infections and sudden infant death syndrome.
When it comes to secondhand smoke, there is no such thing as a risk-free level of exposure (for kids or adults) and thirdhand smoke is also toxic - that's the residue in upholstery, clothing, etc. The bottom line: Keep your home a smoke-free environment, and avoid spending time in places where smoking is permitted. Do not permit anyone to smoke around your children.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into "The Dr. Oz Show" or visit sharecare.com.
(c)2020 Michael Roizen, M.D.
and Mehmet Oz, M.D.