Smoking poses grave health threats to people of all ages, including children. Initially, second-hand smoke presents the greatest danger to young people, particularly in terms of their respiratory health and their susceptibility to ear infections. As children grow older, they may begin to smoke cigarettes, which can dramatically impact both their day-to-day and long-term health.

Most people associate smoking with cancer. However, tobacco smoke is also a leading cause of many other illnesses, including heart disease, emphysema (lung disease) and damage to various organs. In many cases, these diseases eventually result in fatalities.

The potential for smoking to damage a child’s health begins prior to birth. Pregnant women who smoke cause changes in maternal, fetal and placental blood-flow. Smoking during pregnancy has been linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), a leading cause of death in children from 1 month to 1 year of age. It also has been linked to behavioral problems later in childhood, such as hyperactivity and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Following birth, second-hand smoke continues to adversely impact a child’s health. Each year, second-hand smoke is responsible for between 150,000 and 300,000 acute lower respiratory tract infections (e.g., bronchitis, pneumonia) in children 18 months of age and younger, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Second-hand smoke is also associated with increased frequency and severity of childhood asthma and middle-ear infections (otitis media).

As children grow older, they may begin to experiment with smoking. By middle school, 12 percent of students use some type of tobacco, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). By high school, 28 percent of students use some type of tobacco. Despite the dangers of smoking, many children are drawn to the habit in response to peer pressure. People who do not start smoking during adolescence are much less likely to ever start to smoke.

Children are often effective at hiding smoking from parents or caregivers. Nonetheless, there are certain signs that may indicate that a child is smoking, including bad breath, clothes that smell or are stained, and coughing and hoarseness.

Once children have begun to smoke, quitting is the single most important thing they can do for their health. Quitting smoking can dramatically reduce the risk of cancer and many other diseases. Many smokers and tobacco users find it difficult to quit, but over-the-counter and prescription treatments are available to help in this process.

Parents are urged to take several steps to reduce their child’s exposure to second-hand smoke. First and foremost, parents are urged to try to quit smoking. No single step will have a greater impact on their child’s long-term health.