Air pollution. Smoking
- Secondhand smoking is a serious issue
- Harmful substances affect infants critically
- Dangerous composition of modern cigarettes
- Indoor smoking deteriorates the health critically
- the tendency towards the situation’s deterioration
NOTE: Smoking remains a significant environmental problem that affects many people. Secondhand smoking can also be a dangerous issue because of the pernicious impact of tobacco on common people who do not have this very habit. Additionally, today there is a tendency towards the increase in the number of smokers, which means the deterioration of the situation.
Possible negative effects
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) issues
- Higher risk of serious health problems
- Multiple ear infections among infants
- Respiratory problems including pneumonia and bronchitis
- Tooth decay and problems with digestion
- Need more time to recover
NOTE: Infants who are exposed to secondhand smoke have a significantly high risk of SIDS because of the negative impact of tobacco on their states. Additionally, due to the influence of this environmental factor, they can suffer from respiratory problems such as pneumonia or bronchitis. It means that there are many negative effects.
Health promotion plan for caregivers
- Education of parents about the risks
- Prohibition of smoking close to infants
- Caregivers’ training to work with parents
- Constant examination of infants’ states
- In-time prophylactic activities among children
- Increased attention to smoking patients
NOTE: Smoking parents should be considered a risk group by caregivers as their children can be damaged by the negative impact of tobacco. For this reason, caregivers should be trained to provide additional education for parents on how to behave while caring for children. There is also the need for constant examination of infants.
Safety promotion regarding smoking
- Promotion of a healthy lifestyle
- Penalties for smoking close to children
- Constant monitoring of infants’ states
- The campaign aimed at the reduction of smoking
- Warnings on cigarettes’ packages for adults
- Involvement of communities in problem-solving
NOTE: The scope of the problem preconditions the need for the utilization of various sources. First, the promotion of a healthy lifestyle should be used as a potent tool. Second, it is critical to warn adults about the threat of smoking near infants to avoid accidents such as SIDS or other ones.
Example: Reduction of respiratory diseases
- Children affected by secondhand smoking suffer.
- Positive statistics related to healthy environments
- Refusal from smoking improves children’s health
- Parents admit reduction of health issues
- Absence of severe complications among children
- Stronger immunity system among infants
NOTE: One of the examples shows that children whose parents smoke suffer from respiratory diseases. However, if adults stop using tobacco, infants’ states improve significantly. There are also better showings of other health issues and the functioning of the immune system. This example evidences the negative impact of smoking.
Possible interventions
- Prevention measures performed by caregivers
- Creation of a specific positive environment
- Education for adults who have infants
- Penalties or punishments for smokers
- Creation of guidelines for all parents
- Caregivers should monitor the situation
NOTE: Among possible interventions, specialists admit the increased importance of education as the majority of adults do not realize the harm done by secondhand smoking to their children. Caregivers should provide them with the necessary guidelines on how to behave. Additionally, there is a need for penalties for adults who do not observe existing recommendations.
Suggestions from evidence-based research
- Good ventilation for dwellings with infants
- Psychological approaches to stop smoking
- Consultations with specialists regarding the problem
- Use of medications to stop smoking
- Avoid additional stressors or other factors
NOTE: There are multiple research papers devoted to the issue. They also accept the importance of the selected problem. One of the possible solutions is the consultation with a psychologist to find an appropriate solution and stop smoking (Stroud et al., 2014). Second effective ventilation should be aligned (Owili, Muga, Pan, & Kuo, 2017). Finally, adults should use pharmaceutical approaches to minimize the negative impact of tobacco on a child (Vanker, Gie, & Zar, 2017).
Smokefree.gov
- Offers effective tips regarding smoking
- remains a reliable source for people
- recommended by CDC to smokers
- Contacts: 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669)
- Contacts: 877-44U-QUIT (877-448-7848)
Note: The given national resource helps smokers to stop using cigarettes and improve the health of their children.
World Health Organization (WHO)
- Provides a detailed description of smoking
- Evaluates environmental threats for children
- Provides recommendations and possible solutions
- Contains information for caregivers and parents
- Provides relevant and credible data
NOTE: WHO can be taken as a global organization that is concerned about the problem and provides a list of possible solutions and suggestions. This Web-based resource can be used by all individuals who need some information about the issue or look for possible solutions or interventions (Children’s environmental health, n.d.). For this reason, it can be recommended for use.
Conclusion
- Negative impact on infants’ health
- High risk of complications and poor outcomes
- Decrease in the quality of life
- Need to introduce effective interventions
- Existence of reliable sources about smoking
Note: Secondhand smoking remains a critical problem as it deteriorates the quality of infants’ lives and can result in their death. For this reason, it is critical to introduce a set of measures to improve the situation and protect children from tobacco smoke.
References
Children’s environmental health. (n.d.). Web.
Owili, P., Muga, M., Pan, W., & Kuo, H. (2017). Indoor secondhand tobacco smoke and risk of under-five mortality in 23 sub-Saharan Africa countries: A population based study and meta-analysis. PloSOne, 12(5). Web.
Stroud, L., Papandonatos, G., Rodriguez, D., McCallum, M., Salisbury, A., Phipps, M., …Marsit, C. (2014). Maternal smoking during pregnancy and infant stress response: Test of a prenatal programming hypothesis. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 48, 29-40. Web.
Vanker, A., Gie, R., & Zar, H. (2017). The association between environmental tobacco smoke exposure and childhood respiratory disease: A review. Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 11(8), 661-673. Web.