According to a study presented at the American thoracic society international conference 2007, Kids may suffer from respiratory problems due to the smoking habits of their parents. Children of smoking parents show more respiratory problems like puffing, wheezing and may suffer from pneumonia. Even those children who do not suffer from any respiratory problems in childhood may suffer from lung diseases in the later stages of life. This study was done on 244 children (4-12 ages) without any previous history of lung disease to understand the effects of passive smoking. These children were divided into 4 groups according to the smoking pattern of their parents.  4 Groups of children: 1. Children whose parents have never smoked.2. Smoking after birth but not during pregnancy. 3. During pregnancy but not after birth 4. Both before and after birth.According to study, children whose parents are smokers are experiencing respiratory problems than children of non-smoking parents. Smoking after birth appeared to be more harmful than smoking during pregnancy. Even though some children of smoking parents have not shown any signs of respiratory diseases, they are still suffering from reduced lung function which could worsen progressively if they are under constant exposure. Children of these parents generally suffer from Asthma, Pneumonia, Bronchitis and infections in the later stages of life. The American Lung Association defines second-hand smoke as a mixture of smoke that is expelled from the blazing end of a cigarette, pipe, or cigar, and that which is exhaled from the lungs of a smoker.   … [Read more...]