Kids and healthy lungs

To help your children have healthy lungs, keep them away from secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke comes from the burning end of a cigarette, pipe or cigar. It also comes from smoke exhaled from the lungs of smokers.

As well as damaging children's lungs, secondhand smoke…

• contributes to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• increases the frequency and severity of asthma attacks
• makes children prone to ear infections, bronchitis and pneumonia
• causes up to 300,000 lower respiratory infections per year in children 18 months old and younger

If you smoke and need help quitting, talk to your doctor. People who get the help of a doctor have higher success rates.

Related Links

How infants and children are affected by tobacco smoke

Freedom from smoking class

Smoking cessation support groups

Occupational and environmental health specialists

Pediatric specialists

First published: 10/22/2002
Last updated: 07/07/2006

Reviewed by: Paul Kleeberg, MD, medical director, Allina.com