title: Effects of passive smoking on odour identification in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The effect of passive smoking on odour identification in children has rarely been reported. This study assessed the ability of such young subjects to identify a variety of odours.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population consisted of 20 children, 10 who were exposed to passive smoke at home and 10 with nonsmoking parents. Ten odourants were tested: vinegar, ammonia, peppermint, roses, bleach, vanilla, cough drops, turpentine, licorice, and mothballs. Each child was presented with five test trays containing all 10 odourants in random order.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total of 500 odours presented, the control group correctly identified 396 (79%) and the study group identified 356 (71%) (p < .005). The study group tended to misidentify 4 of the 10 odourants tested, namely, vanilla, roses, mothballs, and cough drops-56 of 200 (28%), compared with 96 of 200 (48%) in the control group. This was a highly significant finding (p < .0005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work demonstrated that children exposed to passive smoke have difficulty identifying odours in comparison with children raised in relatively smoke-free environments. The identification of four odourants, vanilla, roses, mothballs, and cough drops, was particularly diminished in this study group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tiqva, Israel.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nageris
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Braverman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hadar
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frenkiel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D009812:Odorants; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012903:Smell; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution