Environmental tobacco smoke linked to behavior problems in children and pre-teens
From EurekAlert! - Breaking News:
A new Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study shows that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, even at extremely low levels, is associated with behavior problems in children and pre-teens.
"This study provides further incentive for states to set public health standards to protect children from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke," says Dr. Yolton.
Dr. Yolton examined 225 children and pre-teens exposed to at least five cigarettes a day.
Dr. Yolton included additional measures to assess child behaviors.
Cotinine is a substance produced when nicotine is broken down by the body and can be measured in blood, urine, saliva and hair.
Dr. Yolton found a relationship between cotinine levels and increases in acting out; increases in holding things in, often manifested by anxiety and depression; increases in behavior problems as rated by parents, and behavior and school problems as rated by teachers; and, decreases in the ability to adapt to behavior problems.
Behavior problems in children have increased from 7 to 18 percent over the last 20 years for reasons that are poorly understood.
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