Secondhand smoke affects children's reading and math skills

(Baonghean.vn) - Scientists at the Center for Children's Environmental Health in the US conducted a study on nearly 4,400 children aged 6-16. The results showed that the more cigarette smoke, the worse the consequences for children. Children who live in environments with a lot of cigarette smoke will have poorer academic results than other friends. Even a small amount of cigarette smoke in the house is enough to affect the ability to read and do math.

Keep children away from cigarette smoke because even a small amount of cigarette smoke in the house is enough to affect their ability to read and do math. Photo: Internet

To measure exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, the team measured Cotinine, a chemical produced when nicotine is absorbed into the body. Cotinine can be measured in blood, urine, saliva and hair.

The children in the study had blood cotinine levels of 15 ng/ml or less – a level consistent with exposure to environmental tobacco smoke – and had not used any tobacco products in the previous five days. The team then assessed the children’s cognitive and academic abilities in skills such as math, reading, logic and reasoning.

The results showed that children with cotinine levels above 1 ng/ml had a 1-point decrease in reading scores for each unit increase in cotinine levels. Children with cotinine levels below 1 ng/ml had a 5-point decrease in reading scores for each unit increase in cotinine levels. This suggests that exposure to even low levels of secondhand smoke can affect brain function. Similarly, secondhand smoke can also reduce math test scores.

“This decline may not be clinically significant for individual children, but it has far-reaching implications for society as a whole because millions of children are exposed to secondhand smoke every day,” said study leader Dr. Kimberly Yolton.

She said the results further bolstered calls for countries to ban smoking in public places to protect children's health.

“Banning smoking in public places should be a top priority, but at home, all adults should also quit smoking when children are in the home,” said Amanda Sanford, research director at Action for Health and Anti-Smoking.

Dr Lawrence Whalley at the University of Aberdeen conducted a study that showed that smokers have a decline in cognitive ability over time. He said: “Smoking is harmful to children. Smoking during pregnancy also causes children to be born underweight and have poorer functioning as adults. It also causes many respiratory diseases.”

Thanh Son

(Synthetic)