Filters Don't Prevent Children's Exposure To Secondhand Smoke
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - We are well aware that secondhand smoke exposure in children can increase the risk of asthma in children yet some parents still smoke in their homes.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins looked at whether placing air filters/cleaners in children's rooms could reduce some of the harmful effects of secondhand smoke on children's asthma symptoms. They found that 82 children who had air cleaners in their rooms for 6 months had more asthma symptom-free days than the 44 who didn't get the cleaners.
That is the good news, but here is the bad news.
Although the air cleaners reduced particulate matter in the air, they didn't change levels of nicotine and they therefore had no impact on the level of nicotine the children were exposed to.
The findings were clear: even though air cleaners can result in a significant increase in [asthma] symptom-free days, it is not enough to prevent exposure to secondhand smoke.
Reported By Dr. Brian McDonough, KYW Newsradio Medical Editor
