A recent study has found that children exposed to second-hand smoke, had a 50% per cent greater chance of having one or more childhood psychological disorders. Here are its details and how to curb the negative impact of the tobacco menace in society .

The negative effects of tobacco consumption, smoking in particular, have been highlighted time and again by medical practitioners. A number of medical studies conducted by institutes worldwide have stressed on the impact of smoking and its link with diseases such as cancer, TB, etc. However, little do we know that exposure to second-hand smoke has an almost similar effect on our health. Children, being prone the most to second-hand smoke and are at the risk of contracting serious health disorders.

In a first-of-its-kind study on the subject, by the investigators from the Harvard and Tobacco Free Research Institute in Dublin, Ireland, it was found that children exposed to second-hand smoke, had a 50% per cent greater chance of having one or more childhood psychological disorders. An objective study based on analysing 900 children exposed to passive smoking, it categorised children on various exposure levels.

“Based on the study, hyperactivity, conduct disorders, neurological disorders are the most common disorders among children due to the impact of second-hand smoke. Children have been found to be more irritable and restless due to the constant exposure to nicotine at home,” says Subathra Jeyaram, Research Scholar, Department of Psycho-Oncology, Cancer Institute. Children from families of relatively low socio-economic backgrounds, single parent homes are most prone to such disorders. “Although its effects on pre-natal birth have not been accessed in the study, it is an interesting and novel study on this topic that has not been conducted earlier,” she adds.

In India, it has been found that individuals take to smoking in their early teens – both boys and girls and the menace of tobacco consumption among children is a major issue anti-tobacco lobbyists have been facing for years. A school-based study on the “Prevalence of tobacco use among school children, exposure to passive smoking and their knowledge level about tobacco control in Chennai”, conducted by the Cancer Institute in 2010 found that nearly 40% of children were exposed to passive smoking at home.

Commenting on the findings of the study, Subathra explains, “The age wise reported onset of first tobacco use was 2.4% at 14 years, 2.9% at 10 years and 13 years, 3.6% at 15 years, 3.7% at 12 years and a high 5.8% at 11 years. Pre teens (11 and 12) and 15 years appear to be a particularly more vulnerable period. Family use of tobacco was reported in 56.3 % of the children and 28.6 % of the students were found to procure tobacco products for their parents.”

As the subject is gradually catching the attention of governments and doctors, the practice of creating smoke-free places has been initiated in many countries. On similar lines, the Smoke Free Chennai (SFC) project, launched in April 2010 aims at creating a smoke-free city by next month. Dr S J Govardhan, Project Coordinator, Smoke Free Chennai Project, Directorate of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, says, “As per the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS 2009-2010), over 28% of people are exposed to second-hand smoke and this project aims at reducing its impact in public places, where people are exposed to great levels of passive smoking.”

Highlighting the impact of passive smoking, Cyril Alexander, Director, Mary Anne Charity Trust (MACT), a city-based NGO, says, “Women and children are the most common victims of passive smoking; be it at home or at the workplace. Children are exposed to it from a very young age and it has been found to have damaging effects. Unless there is awareness among parents to cut down smoking when at home, the situation will only worsen.”

So kick the butt to give your child a healthy future.

Nidhi.adlakha001@gmail.com

Nidhi Adlakha is a media fellow at the National Foundation for India (NFI), for the year 2010-2011, researching on the links between poverty and tobacco

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Discipline in parenting is totally necessary and parenting skills can be sharp by making room for both leniency and strictness as and when it is needed. Being strict is explaining something with firmness in voice and strength in character while explaining your view point to your child. This will make your child realize that he or she cannot take advantage of your niceness and not misinterpret your being a friend to him or her, as a sign of weakness, but as a strong and a good fundamental and this helps in the whole scheme of things, and this helps in good parenting discipline to maintain a good strike in balance and a good effective whole.

Discipline in parenting is today, or in other words, today’s new generation has a different way of being firm and a different way or approach to disciplining. Discipline, when it is needed, should be done without the use of any harsh words or any string language (should definitely not be used) and this, along with being clear and putting out an encouraging message along with the disciplinary message makes the child feel and realize what he or she could have done wrong and at the same time, very beautifully allows for the child to feel encouraged and confident as there is a learning that the child has made via the firm message conveyed by you, as a parent. The firm message, when mixed with encouragement or a message of strength of any kind, will give and imbibe a good lesson for your child and will help to mould him or her in a structured and a fantastic way or method. For more on parenting and parenting skill sets, glue on to this website!

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Middle child suffers from a lack of belonging and is plagued by sense of insecurity. He feels ignored and sand witched between elder and younger sibling. This particular problem is called middle child syndrome. Talking about specific symptoms of this problem, low self esteem is one of them. Child feels unwanted and he starts to develop lack of self-belief. His confidence is shaken and he feels overlooked by his parents. This may even affect him in adulthood.

Child also feels lack of belonging to the family and thinks of himself as unwanted. Parents must be very careful in such situations and should try nipping in bud. Middle child also starts to be shy and introvert. He is low on confidence and tends to become loner. Kids suffering from middle child syndrome lack sense of direction. Parents must take proper care of such children even at the slightest hint of middle child syndrome. Better work on them now.

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First of all, avoid using any random products on their skin. Always remember that your and your baby’s skin is completely different. That’s why you must use skin care products specially made for babies.

Baby oil is very important for the mosturisation of your child’s skin. It helps maintain the softness of the skin. Use a mild cleanser while giving them a bath, so that there’s absolutely no risk. Make sure to maintain the desired hygiene for your baby. Give them a bath regularly during the summers, daily, whereas maybe every alternate day in the winters. This is especially for new born babies.

During the winters, massage your baby’s body with baby oil to avoid dryness and add shine. Also remember to give your baby a clean bath after this. Apply baby powder on their body to keep them cool. Apply it smoothly with a soft puff or cotton instead of sprinkling it and tapping it.

Make sure to change their diapers often. Apply powder or a protective diaper cream to keep your baby away from rashes. Babies under 6 months of age should spend little time in the sun. But avoid the mid-day sun and try to take advantage of the early morning hours. Ask your doctor for a sun screen recommendation to avoid tan and sun burns.

Every child has sensitive skin and extreme measures should be taken by all parents to handle it with care. If proper responsibility is not taken, it can harm their skin and create further problems like rashes, boils, burns, pigments, etc.

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So what parents are supposed to do to handle arguing kids? Cal it arguing or talking back but parents must be willing to hear what kids have to say. This should be the simplest way to start with. Only when parents listen to the child then they will realize whether there is a valid point in argument raised by the kid. Listening to the whole case will also give parents a chance to reflect upon the things like decision made by them. Once parents listen to the whole argument they can decide to stick with the decision made earlier or to change it based on evidence present.

If parents think they have made right decision they need to stick with it and close the discussion. No need of surrendering to the child’s oft repeated arguments. If parents give in to the repeated demands made by the kids’ then that will give a wrong message to the child. Many child prefer to complain or acting rude. Parents should be adopting the disciplinary approach while dealing with such situations.

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If a child has been diagnosed with Autism as parents this is what one can do to improve his/her condition – give your child constant support and encouragement to do better and encourage his/her by showing interest in his interests and embracing his errors with patience.

Parents of autistic child have to face challenges every day. They need to have determination to cope with all the problems that the child faces. Apprehensive parents first need to come in terms with reality and accept the problem only then they will be able to deal with their child.

Start with noting down small things about your child – they way he behaves the way he reacts, his communication etc.  Also observe his facial expressions and gestures and see what he likes and what he doesn’t. Note down the areas where you see the maximum scope of improvement. Also keep a track on all the activities for the development of your child.

Start exercising with your kids and use breathing techniques that are fun to do along with your kid. Teach your child different movements of hands, legs which he can do regularly. Working out together can become a great habit for you and your child. Needless to say but always be there for your kid.

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Some children have trouble learning to talk. Some of them may not even start even after they turn two. As parents it is necessary to observe and analyze when your child learns to talk, how he or she talks so that you can take immediate steps to tackle the situation.

As parents what is important to observe is to know whether your child understands simple instructions that you give him. Children can comprehend simple instructions and that exceeds his expression. If parents feel that the child can understand the language but has trouble speaking, it means that the child has some speech defects or it can also be that the child is simply a late bloomer and may start talking late!

Parents should keep talking to the child. Speak in simple sentences about things that happen around your child’s life. While going out, keep telling your child about various things, interest him/her and encourage them to talk. It is always a good option to take your child out to places such as a museum or a zoo where he or she can view a lot of things. Places like this always encourage a child to speak up.

Encourage your child to learn easy words. Simple nouns and verbs are usually preferred to begin with. What is important is to be patient and take through the whole process slowly. When speaking to your child, speak at a slow rate. Also be consistent in your approach.

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Pregnancy is one of the not-so-easy periods in a woman’s life. A diet program before, during, and post-pregnancy helps the body in adjusting to the various growth and recovery stages.  Many grandmothers and mothers force a pregnant woman to eat a variety of foods. But it is important to consult a dietician before intake of any food.

Nutritional needs should also be properly met. During pregnancy, maximum safety for the mother and child should be of prime importance rather than weight gain.

Pregnancy and diet (does not mean starving but eating healthy food) should go hand in hand. As and when the baby starts developing, the nutritional requirements for a to-be mother increase. Pregnant women should include consumption of milk and milk products, fibrous fruits, green leafy vegetables, and protein rich cereals and pulses. The increased need for iron and folic acid should also be met from different foods that a pregnant mother eats. Exposure to sunlight also helps as it provides with vitamin D which is very essential for our body.

Normally a pregnant woman needs approximately 1700 – 1800 kcal of food daily. Along with this, the protein intake also increases. Appropriate caloric intake in pregnancy helps prevent the problems associated with low birth weight. Salty packaged fried foods like chips should be avoided. Proper diet and nutrition during pregnancy is a must for healthy development of the baby. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts and grain products that contain dietary fiber and nutrients is essential during pregnancy. 

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Even though PDDs cannot be cured, there are medicines available to deal with some of the problems associated with the child’s behavior. In addition to the medication, there are specialized treatments and therapies that can help the child to develop some social skills and communication skills.

Children suffering from Pervasive Developmental Disorders have normal mental function. In fact some children who are PDD affected demonstrate a very high intelligence quotient. Their IQ is sometimes greater than the IQ of a normal child. Children, who have mild disorders, perform reasonably well in normal schools. They however, may need some additional support and therapy. Some children may require extra attention hence they need special classes or need specialized teaching, which caters to their specific learning or needs.

Parents must realize that being diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder is not the end of the world. In today’s modern world, there are plenty of schools and organizations which are available to help you find appropriate treatment for your child. There is no reason that children with PDD cannot live a normal life considering the advancement in sciences and medication and alternative therapies.

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Dental care when taken at an early age can save us from a lot of teeth problems in the later life. As it is rightly said that prevention is better than cure, similarly, caring for your teeth is better than fixing them up!

Hence, encourage that you and your child follow these simple dental tips for that million dollar smile for long times to come…

A teen should take care of his teeth by regularly going to the dentist and getting teeth checked as well as cleansed.

It is also necessary that children eat healthy snacks rather than munching on chips and candies that not just affect the teeth but the body as well.

Also, contrary to the popular belief, chewing of gums after meals actually helps to clean the mouth, so in case your teenager is chewing some gum, let him!

It is proved that drinking water throughout the day ensures that any trapped particle in the mouth is washed away. It also reduces the effect of bacteria in the mouth. Hence one should drink more water.

Toothbrush is an important part in the brushing activity and care should be taken that the toothbrush is changed every two months. Make sure that you buy a soft brush for your little one.

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