Women and children can still get sick from 'white smoke' even though they don't smoke

Children, the elderly, and pregnant women need to be protected and kept away from cigarette smoke. In the photo: A patient admitted to the emergency room with COPD caused by smoking. Photo: Bich Nhan

Many grandfathers and fathers still "carelessly" smoke in the presence of their grandchildren and children, not knowing that they are "poisoning" the people they love the most.

Confused when seriously ill

In fact, medical examination and treatment show that many people, even though they do not smoke, still have the same symptoms as smokers.

Master, specialist doctor II Tran Trung Kien, Head of Oncology Department, Shing Mark University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital said that smoking is identified as the cause of lung cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, pharyngeal cancer... With lung cancer, if detected early, the possibility of cure is still high, but most patients detect it at a late stage, making treatment very difficult.

A few years ago, Dr. Kien admitted a 40-year-old female patient to the hospital because she felt unwell, had frequent and intense coughs, and was emaciated. After examining her, doing tests, and taking chest X-rays, the doctors diagnosed Ms. VTV (living in Nhon Trach district) with stage 3 lung cancer. When she received the news that she was seriously ill, Ms. Van was very confused and could not believe the truth.

“The patient was devastated and confused because he did not know why he was given a “death sentence”. We collected information, asked about his personal and family history to see if anyone in his family smoked regularly, and the patient said that his husband smoked regularly,” Dr. Kien recalled.

Taking care of her child who has recurring pneumonia, Ms. NTH, a resident of Trang Bom district, shared that this is the third time her daughter (over 2 years old) has had to be hospitalized for pneumonia treatment. One of the most serious times was when the child had to be put on a ventilator.

“When my baby was only 3 months old, he had to be hospitalized for pneumonia for the first time for about 2 weeks. At first, I didn't think about the reason why he got sick, but this time when I took him to the hospital, the doctor asked if anyone in the family smoked, then I knew the reason. My father-in-law and my husband smoked regularly. I remember that every time there was cigarette smoke or vapor, my baby would cough. After this time, I definitely had to take "strong" measures to protect my child," Ms. H. confided.

According to Dr. Pham Thi Thu Thuy, Department of Pediatrics, Au Co Hospital, cigarette smoke has a serious impact on children. Many studies have shown that children born to mothers who smoke or live in smoky environments are more likely to have asthma than other children. Because cigarette smoke restricts the airways, moreover, when children inhale cigarette smoke, they are also susceptible to pneumonia and prolonged illness.

“I have received cases of children who had frequent asthma attacks, had to be hospitalized for emergency treatment, and had to receive long-term treatment because the asthma attacks would not stop. After being cured, a few weeks later the child was hospitalized again, also because of the old illness. We had to try hard to convince the child’s father to quit smoking before the child could recover. Luckily, the father quit smoking, and the child no longer had asthma attacks,” said Dr. Thuy.

Children, pregnant women and the elderly should stay away from cigarette smoke.

In addition, for children with lung disease, doctors also advise relatives not to expose the child to cigarette smoke to avoid prolonged, recurring illness.

According to specialist doctor II Nguyen Van Suu, Deputy Medical Director, Head of Pediatrics Department, Au Co Hospital, passive smoking is especially dangerous for children because their lungs are not fully developed and are more sensitive to stimulants and toxins in cigarette smoke.

Infants and young children who regularly inhale cigarette smoke will increase the incidence of bronchitis, pneumonia and otitis media, increase chronic respiratory symptoms such as asthma; reduce lung function development, increase the risk of sudden death in infants. Especially children with asthma who have smokers in their family, the disease is very difficult to cure, and is prone to relapse.

“However, many grandfathers and fathers still carelessly smoke to satisfy their own sense of pleasure, regardless of the risks that children face when living in an environment with cigarette smoke. Smoking in front of children is not only a lack of awareness but also irresponsible for the health and future of their children,” said Dr. Suu.

Doctor Tran Trung Kien also emphasized that cigarette smoke is related to 90% of lung cancer cases, 75% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cases, 25% of ischemic heart disease cases... Non-smokers who are often in an environment containing cigarette smoke can inhale the amount of smoke equivalent to smoking 5 cigarettes a day.

“With tobacco, there is no safe threshold, whether it is passive or active smoking. To prevent diseases caused by passive smoking, it is necessary to create a smoke-free living environment. Active smokers must voluntarily quit smoking as soon as possible, especially staying away from children, pregnant women, and the elderly,” said Dr. Kien.

Bich Nhan

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/y-te/202506/khong-hut-thuoc-nhung-phu-nu-tre-em-van-co-the-mac-benh-tu-lan-khoi-trang-4c43869/