[The effects of tobacco on children].
BACKGROUND
Smoking remains an important topic. It is estimated that at present half the children born in France have been, or will be, exposed to the toxic effects of passive smoking. This paper aims to review the evidence of the effects of passive smoking, both intra and extra-uterine.


BACKGROUND
Extra-uterine passive smoking is implicated in numerous respiratory (asthma, allergy, infections...) and non respiratory diseases (neoplastic, dental, ophthalmic, digestive, cardio-vascular and infective). Intra-uterine exposure is even more dangerous and leads to abnormalities of the pregnancy (placental abnormalities, prematurity...), of the foetus (behavioural problems, malformations) and long term problems for the unborn child. Passive smoking is responsible for pulmonary morphological abnormalities (pulmonary hypoplasia, reduction in elasticity, increased deposition of collagen and alteration of alveolar structure) and functional disorders (reduced compliance, increased airways resistance, bronchial hyperreactivity). Finally it causes a disturbance of respiratory control, promoting all the factors responsible for sudden cot death.


CONCLUSIONS
The ill effects of passive smoking fully justify efforts to inform and persuade the medical profession of its duty to fight this scourge.
Bosdure
E
E
Unité de Médecine Infantile, CHU Timone Enfants, EA3287 - IFR125, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France.
Dubus
J C
JC
D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D010922:Placenta Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D009057:Stomatognathic Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution