Reducing pediatric exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: The effects of pediatric exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and the role of pediatric perioperative care

Abstract

Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) has deleterious effects on a child's general health and their perioperative risk; specifically, it doubles a child's perioperative risk of adverse respiratory events, particularly laryngospasm. It increases the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, bacterial meningitis, middle ear infection, asthma, and lower respiratory tract infection. The preoperative assessment of children presenting for procedures under general anesthesia is an opportune moment to screen for exposure to ETS and give information about the risks and cessation support (if applicable). This can be described as a "teachable moment"; there is a documented How to cite this article: Riley C, Ladak N. Reducing pediatric exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: The effects of pediatric exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and the role of pediatric perioperative care.