Secondhand Smoke Abuse Against Children with Asthma – Sleep Breathing Disorders

Asthmatic Children: Sleep breathing disorders caused by second-hand smoke.

According to research published online in the January 18 edition of Pediatrics, children with asthma exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) suffer greater and more dangerous sleep problems than those who are not exposed to second hand smoke.

Led by Dr. Kimberly Yolton of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the study analyzed data from 219 children, aged 6 to 12 years, with physician-diagnosed asthma that had been recently treated. The children in the study were exposed to at least five cigarettes a day at home. and their cotinine levels were assessed. Greater secondhand smoke exposure was associated with longer delays to sleep onset, more frequent parasomnias and sleep-disordered breathing, more daytime sleepiness, and more overall sleep disturbance.

The authors conclude: “The consequences of inadequate sleep in children are not trivial. Sleep disturbances have been linked with increased behavior problems, mental health problems, and poor school performance in children. In addition, effects of poor sleep in childhood can persist into adulthood in the form of obesity and behavior and mood disorders. Reduction in SHS exposure is an area with the potential for significant impact for physical and emotional health and school performance in the pediatric population.”