Vaping Around Toddlers Is Dangerous, Warns Pediatricians Group. What this means for you: You know that secondhand smoke has been linked to a number of health issues, including increased risk for lower birth-weight, more frequent ear infections and asthma attacks, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
What increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?
Being too warm while sleeping can increase a baby's risk of SIDS. Although sudden infant death syndrome can strike any infant, researchers have identified several factors that might increase a baby's risk. They include: Sex. Boys are slightly more likely to die of SIDS. Age. Infants are most vulnerable between the second and fourth months of life.
Who is most at risk from vaping?
Who’s most at risk? 1 Infants and children. Vape aerosols pose an especially high risk for infants and children because of their lower body weight and developing respiratory systems. 2 Pregnant people. We’ve known for a long time that nicotine exposure during pregnancy is risky. ... 3 People with lung conditions. ...
Are there any medical studies on vaping side effects?
Disclaimer: Medical studies and official surveys to reference for vaping side effects are sorely lacking, with most focusing on overall health and vaping. To compensate for that, Google keywords and search traffic data were used to see what side effects were most searched for.
What is SIDS and how can you prevent it?
SIDS is the sudden, unexpected death of a baby younger than 1 year of age that doesn’t have a known cause even after a complete investigation. These deaths often happen during sleep or in the baby’s sleep area. In 1992, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that healthy babies be placed on their backs to sleep.
What the study found
The study found that exposing a baby in the womb to nicotine could affect their central nervous system and cardiorespiratory responses, which can then stop autoresuscitation.
The Lullaby Trust's response
Francine Bates, chief executive of The Lullaby Trust, told Netmums: 'We don’t think parents should worry about the findings of this study as it was conducted on laboratory rats, not human babies.
Smoking during pregnancy
Previous research has shown that around 30% of cases of SIDS could be avoided if mums didn’t smoke during pregnancy.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Around 300 babies die suddenly or unexpectedly in the UK every year, most of which happen during the first six months of a baby’s life.
Why are vapes dangerous for children?
Infants and children. Vape aerosols pose an especially high risk for infants and children because of their lower body weight and developing respiratory systems. , being exposed to even low concentrations of the components of vape aerosol can affect brain and lung development.
What percentage of people with asthma report vaping?
Based on the results of the 2018 Annual Asthma Survey by the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership, 14 percent of people with asthma reported that vaping or exposure to secondhand vape triggered their asthma symptoms.
What is third hand smoke?
Thirdhand exposure is a thing, too. When someone who’s vaping exhales, the components of the aerosol doesn’t just go into the air — they also settle on surfaces. Trusted Source. . This is what’s referred to as thirdhand smoke (or aerosol). You can be exposed to these components when you touch a contaminated surface.
What is the chemical in second hand vape aerosol?
Secondhand vape aerosol contains flavorings, such as diacetyl, a chemical that may impair the function of cilia in the airway.
How to quit smoking cigarettes?
Try to taper your nicotine dose gradually if you’re using vaping to help you quit traditional cigarettes. Cutting out nicotine altogether will minimize the risk of nicotine-related side effects for you and others.
Is vape aerosol harmful?
Its long-term effects are still being investigated. What we do know so far is that vape aerosol contains a number of harmful substances, including: There’s evidence that nonsmokers exposed to secondhand vape aerosol absorb similar levels of nicotine as people exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke.
Does vaping smell like candy?
This brief exposure probably isn’t a huge deal, but secondhand vape aerosol (the “smoke” from vaping) is definitely a thing, even if it smells like candy.
Why does SIDS happen?
It is believed that in SIDS cases, this mechanism malfunctions. When blood oxygen levels get too low, their brains cannot produce or send the serotonin needed to wake them up. In severe cases of this, SIDS is the result.
Why do babies die from SIDS?
While the cause of SIDS is not known, the most promising theory at the time of this writing is that babies who die of SIDS have immature brain stems in the area where serotonin is produced. Many have heard of serotonin in relation to mood, but it is also the neurotransmitter responsible for helping humans wake and breathe, according to SIDS America.
How to prevent children from smoking in daycares?
The only way to ensure all infants and children are safe from tobacco smoke while in a daycare facility is to ensure that all workers refrain from the use of tobacco products. There is no efficient and effective means of removing all third-hand smoke from clothes and hair after smoke breaks, so quitting is the best option for current daycare workers who smoke. This will not only improve the health outcomes of children, but of the workers themselves.
What is third hand smoke?
Third-hand smoke is comprised of the smoke, nicotine, and tobacco residue left behind after someone smokes. Most people know that the smell of tobacco lingers long after the cigarette is snuffed out, but there is more than odor left behind. According to WebMD, thousands of toxic chemicals are contained in third-hand smoke, and the risks they post to human health are becoming more apparent.
What happens when third hand smoke enters a room?
As more third-hand smoke enters the room, there is less fresh air available to the children inhabiting the space. Less fresh air means less available oxygen. In those infants who may already be vulnerable to SIDS, this increase in smoke residue, however minor, could prove detrimental.
Is third hand smoke dangerous?
Studies are showing that smoke residue is more harmful than previously thought. The chemicals contained within third-hand smoke are known to increase the risk of asthma and other breathing problems, as well as certain types of cancer.
Does third hand smoke affect babies?
Even for those babies who are not at risk, exposure to third-hand smoke may increase their risk of asthma, allergies, and other health complications.
What are the side effects of vaping?
Coughing. Headaches. Dizziness or headrush. Weight loss/gain. Nausea. Tired and fatigued. Chest pain from vaping. Although vapes are not medical devices, side effects for the user may occur. But these side effects are not a given.
Why does vaping hurt?
There could be various reasons for chest pain from vaping. Excessive heat, high nicotine, or maybe even the specific flavorings in a particular e-liquid could be the cause.
How to stop dizziness when vaping?
If you’re concerned about dizziness or the feeling of being lightheaded, the best course of action is to lower your nicotine or the amount you vape in short periods. If you’d prefer to not lower your consumption, it’s something that will likely go away as your body gets accustomed to nicotine.
What to do if you have chest pains when vaping?
Then maybe you can lower the power, reduce your nicotine, change your atom izer or coil , or change your flavor . Essentially, try and change your entire set up if you have to.
Does nicotine cause headaches?
Alkaloids have a physiological effect on the user, and cessation from habitual usage may cause headaches. Nicotine is the major alkaloid in tobacco, accounting for about 95% of the alkaloid content, but there are other tobacco minor alkaloids in tobacco smoke, not present in e-liquid.
Can vaping cause dizziness?
Dizziness or headrush. Similar to the feeling of smoking for the first time, it’s not uncommon to experience lightheadedness and dizziness from vaping. Also similar to smoking, this typically will stop presenting itself the more you consume.
Can you get a sore throat from vaping?
Some coils used in vaping are nickel-based, and it’s not uncommon for users to discover they have an allergy to nickel. Also, several reports online can be found associating a sore throat with high nicotine, especially when used with high levels of propylene glycol (50% or more).
Vaccines have not been shown to cause sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
Babies receive multiple vaccines when they are between 2 to 4 months old. This age range is also the peak age for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The timing of the 2 month and 4 month shots and SIDS has led some people to question whether they might be related. However, studies have found that vaccines do not cause and are not linked to SIDS.
Placing healthy babies on their backs to sleep reduces the risk of SIDS
SIDS is the sudden, unexpected death of a baby younger than 1 year of age that doesn’t have a known cause even after a complete investigation. These deaths often happen during sleep or in the baby’s sleep area.
CDC and FDA closely monitor the safety of all vaccines
CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are committed to ensuring that vaccines provided to the public are safe and effective. Once vaccines are licensed in the United States, CDC and FDA continuously monitor them through several safety systems. Learn more about CDC’s vaccine safety monitoring and research.
Related Scientific Articles
Moro PL, Perez-Vilar S, Lewis P, Bryant-Genevier M, Kamiya H, Cano M. Safety Surveillance of Diphtheria and Tetanus Toxoids and Acellular Pertussis (DTaP) Vaccines external icon . Pediatrics. 2018;142 (1). pii: e20174171.
How to protect your kids from vaping?
Plain and simple: if you are a parent that vapes, do not do it near your children. “The best way to protect your children is to never smoke or vape near them,” says Dr. Judy. “Never smoke indoors, in your car, or in places that children spend time.
What are the chemicals in vape smoke?
And the chemicals found in vape smoke are different from cigarettes. “E-cigarettes commonly contain propylene glycol and glycerol. These substances can decompose to form formaldehyde and acetaldehyde which are known carcinogens,” says Dr. Ambler.
How do e-cigarettes and cigarettes differ?
Both e-cigarettes and cigarettes contain the drug nicotine, but they differ in how they get the drug to the lungs. “With vaping, the liquid nicotine is heated, aerosolized and inhaled—but with smoking, the tobacco is burned via combustion to form a smoke that is inhaled,” says Dr. Ambler.
What is vaping in medical terms?
What is vaping? “Vaping is a term used for the use of electronic cigarettes. These are battery operated devices that entered the US market in 2006,” says Cynthia Ambler, MD, pediatrician at Northwestern Medicine. They also go by a ton of different names, brands and designs.
What are the effects of smoking e-cigarettes?
E- cigarettes have also been reported to cause burns, explosive injuries and chemical injuries.
What happens if a child ingests nicotene?
If a child ingests nicotene, it is considered a poisoning.
Can vaping affect a baby?
Children may cough, wheeze, have more frequent respiratory illnesses, or show signs of nicotine toxicity.”. Specifically, when it comes to vaping around babies, you need to be aware that vaping around pregnant women can impact the developing baby. “We know that nicotine is toxic to developing fetuses,” says Dr. Judy.
How to prevent SIDS?
Place your baby to sleep on his or her back, rather than on the stomach or side, every time you — or anyone else — put the baby to sleep for the first year of life.
Why are infants more vulnerable to SIDS?
A combination of physical and sleep environmental factors can make an infant more vulnerable to SIDS. These factors vary from child to child.
Why do babies die in cribs?
Although the cause is unknown, it appears that SIDS might be associated with defects in the portion of an infant's brain that controls breathing and arousal from sleep. Researchers have discovered some factors that might put babies at extra risk.
What are some ways to protect a baby from SIDS?
Researchers have discovered some factors that might put babies at extra risk. They've also identified measures you can take to help protect your child from SIDS. Perhaps the most important is placing your baby on his or her back to sleep.
What are the factors that increase the risk of sudden infant death?
They include: Sex. Boys are slightly more likely to die of SIDS. Age. Infants are most vulnerable between the second and fourth months of life. Race.
What causes breathing problems in infants with SIDS?
Respiratory infection. Many infants who died of SIDS had recently had a cold, which might contribute to breathing problems.
Which race is more likely to develop SIDS?
Race. For reasons that aren't well-understood, nonwhite infants are more likely to develop SIDS.
Why are infants vulnerable to SIDS?
In addition, genetic conditions, such as a cardiac channelopathy, a metabolic condition, or a seizure disorder, may cause the infant to be vulnerable and at greater risk of SIDS.
What is the link between SUDEP and SIDS?
There is recent evidence for links between SUDEP (sudden unexplained death in epilepsy ) and SIDS, and a growing body of literature ties both entities to the serotoninergic pathway (52, 83). SUDEP is the sudden, unexpected, non-traumatic death of individuals with epilepsy with or without evidence of a seizure, in whom post-mortem examination does not reveal a structural or toxicological cause for death. A hypothesized mechanism for SUDEP is that seizures initiate pathogenic signaling between the brain and heart, resulting in lethal cardiac arrhythmias (84, 85). Given that defects in membrane excitability can result in both epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmias, ion channels co-expressed in the brain and heart are leading candidates for SUDEP (85, 86). Selected genes for SUDEP, where a link to SIDS has been hypothesized, include SCN1A, SCN1B, and DEPDC5(14, 87-90).
What is a VUS in SIDS?
A VUS is defined as a genetic variant where the association between the variant and disease is not known. Any particular VUS may turn out to be benign, or may turn out to have variable phenotypic expression, known as variable penetrance, depending on the age and/or developmental, environmental, and epigenetic factors in the individual. Consistent with the Triple Risk Model of SIDS, a VUS may contribute to the vulnerability of the infant but be benign in a parent who also carries the variant and survived infancy without incident. The fact that in many cases it may take more than just a pathogenic variant makes interpreting VUSs in SIDS a challenge.
What is the role of genetic factors in SIDS?
A role for genetic factors in SIDS is consistent with the Triple Risk Model of SIDS, with genetic factors contributing to the “vulnerable infant”. The Triple Risk Model hypothesizes that three elements are present for SIDS to occur (6):
What mutations are present in SIDS?
(26) identified an A985G mutation in ACADMin seven families whose infants died of SIDS, although others have not been able to replicate these findings (27). More recently, Lovera et al. (28) found a homozygous frame-shift mutation in a 3-day-old who died with MCAD. To date, there is little evidence for a prominent role for variants in the ACADMgene in SIDS, which may be because MCAD deficiency is now detected on newborn screening.
Is SIDS a disease?
By definition, SIDS, as the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old, is an undiagnosed “disease”. As such, it can be approached similarly to other undiagnosed diseases. In clinical medicine, if a living individual presents with an unknown or unexplained disease, the standard practice is to exhaustively investigate until the cause is (hopefully) understood. This process often includes conducting genetic studies. If applicable, family members also undergo genetic testing. Since death in SIDS can be understood as a more extreme phenotype and/or outcome than illness, the same logic and approach should be taken with SIDS as an undiagnosed disease. Genetic studies are crucial in this evaluation, enabling exploration of the role of genes implicated in the etiology of SIDS, ranging from abnormalities in neurotransmitters, neuroanatomy, receptors, growth factors, and apoptotic markers (7). For example, neuroanatomical abnormalities of the hippocampus have been reported in over 40% of SIDS cases in a sample with limited selection bias (8), and the precise mechanisms of these and other neuropathological changes are still unknown and may involve genetic changes.
Is there a genomic overlap between sudden cardiac death, SIDS, and Sudep?
Evidence suggests likely genomic complexity and a degree of overlap amongst sudden cardiac death, SIDS, and SUDEP. The advent of next-generation sequencing will improve our understanding of the genetics of SIDS, and will result in more answers for families with a family history of sudden or unexplained deaths. However, a Mendelian approach is not likely to explain all cases. Genetic risk factors combined with a critical developmental period and a vulnerable infant are all likely to play a part in most cases. Many important challenges remain in this field and future progress requires collaborative and interdisciplinary research (3).
