Kids Health

Hi everyone, since I'm a mom I want my son to be healthy, so I been gathering as much information to share as I can. I hope this will help some of you.
As a mom, I am totally against parents smoking. I myself have a hard time breathing around it and try to avoid it as much as I can. I don't mean to offend anyone, this is just the way I feel about Cigarette smoke.

Secondhand Cigarette Smoke Harms Kids!

Secondhand smoke is the smoke from people's cigarettes. A new study says breathing secondhand smoke is dangerous. Secondhand smoke may cause kids to get heart disease when they grow up.

Secondhand smoke causes fat to block some blood vessels. The blocked blood vessels can cause heart disease. Secondhand cigarette smoke can also irritate body organs and cause painful infections.

What about passive or secondhand smoking:

Environmental tobacco smoke is also a problem. Nine million American children under age five live with at least one smoker and are exposed to secondhand smoke almost the whole day. Studies have shown that children (especially infants) of smoking parents have more lung illnesses, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, and can develop asthma. And because smoking parents are more likely to cough and spread germs, their children are more likely to develop chest illnesses. Exposure to tobacco smoke also increases the risk of heart disease.

Here are some ways secondhand smoke can harm kids' bodies.

Ears:
Cigarette smoke can cause ear infections.

Lungs:
Cigarette smoke can cause kids who have asthma to have more asthma attacks.

Eyes:
Cigarette smoke makes eyes burn and itch.

Throat:
Cigarette smoke can cause throat infections.

Heart:
Cigarette smoke can cause heart problems by causing fat to block blood vessels.

This is an interesting article, I didn't know all the facts about lead poisoning.

Lead Exposure

Old paint in houses built in 1980 or earlier can give children lead poisoning. Dust from peeling and chipping paint gets on children's hands and clothes. Even the soil around an old home can have lead dust. It's easy for lead dust to get in children's mouths.
Lead from old pipes, brass faucets and lead solder can get into drinking water. Lead is also found in soil near highways from the days of leaded gasoline and lead-based insect sprays. Even cheap, imported jewelry has caused lead poisoning. (There is no lead in jewelry made in the U.S.)
Lead can build up in the body--in the blood, kidneys, bone marrow, liver and brain. Children and pregnant women are at highest risk for lead poisoning. Lead can damage a developing fetus. Small amounts of lead can damage the brains of young children. Lead poisoning can cause lower IQ's, slower growth, shorter attention spans, and learning and hearing problems in children.
You can't undo damage from lead poisoning. Testing is free at WIC programs and health clinics.

Listeria

The bacteria Listeria can cause a potentially fatal illness: listeriosis. Listeria is found almost anywhere: in soil, dust, water and sewage, and in wild and domestic animals. Pregnant women, newborns and people with diseases that weaken the immune system (AIDS and cancer, for example) are especially at risk of getting listeriosis. It's rare for women to get during pregnancy, but the disease can cause miscarriage, fetal death or stillbirth. Listeriosis has flu-like symptoms: fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. It can be treated with antibiotics.
Listeria is associated with milk that hasn't been pasteurized, with improperly processed cheeses and ice cream, with raw vegetables, with raw and cooked poultry, and with meats and fish. Listeria resists freezing, drying and heat. It can multiply in a refrigerator! And Listeria doesn't necessarily change the smell or taste of food. To lessen the risk of listeriosis:

* Wash hands often, especially after handling raw meats, going to the bathroom or changing diapers.
* Wash raw vegetables thoroughly before eating.
* Keep uncooked meats separate from vegetables and cooked foods.
* Thoroughly cook beef, pork and poultry. Heat leftovers, luncheon meats and hot dogs until steaming hot.
* At-risk people should avoid hot dogs, luncheon meat, and soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk.