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Secondhand smoke and teen hearing loss

07/19/2011 16:24:00 admin
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by Aimee Keenan-Greene

Second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure causes sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in adolescents.

Using cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005-2006) from 1533 participants 12 to19 years of age who underwent audiometric testing, had serum cotinine levels available, and were not actively smoking - scientists concluded secondhand smoke exposure was associated with elevated pure-tone hearing thresholds at 2, 3, and 4 kHz, a higher rate of unilateral low-frequency SNHL (11.8% vs 7.5%; P < .04), and a 1.83-fold increased risk of unilateral low-frequency SNHL in multivariate analyses. 

The prevalence of SNHL was directly related to the level of SHS exposure as reflected by serum cotinine levels.   In addition, nearly 82 percent of adolescents with SNHL did not recognize hearing difficulties.  Researchers writing in the Archives of Otolaryngology add, adolescents exposed to SHS may need to be closely monitored for early hearing loss with periodic audiologic testing.

Are kids who exposed to second hand smoke more likely to light up later in life themselves?
 
Scientists writing in this month's Pediatrics  say exposure to cigarette smoke in childhood does contribute to risk for future cigarette smoking. 

Researchers concluded, passive exposure to cigarette smoke in children is associated with susceptibility to cigarette smoking and smoking susceptibility predicts smoking initiation.  Sensitivity to exposure to cigarette smoke may be a mechanism that helps explain the relationship between passive exposure and smoking susceptibility.

Also reported in the August issue of the journal Pediatrics was the association between parent-reported postnatal secondhand tobacco smoke exposure in the home and neurobehavioral disorders like attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, learning disabilities, and conduct disorders in kids under12 years of age.

A recent study in the June 2011 issue of Pediatrics found physicians who talk about the dangers of smoking with teens had a positive impact on their knowledge of the effects of smoking, tobacco use, intentions to quit and success of quitting.

Every day approximately 1,000 U.S. teens become daily smokers, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Roughly 6 million teens in the US smoke , despite the knowledge it is addictive and leads to disease.
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