Second Hand Smoke Linked To Kids' Depression, Anxiety, ADHD

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

Children and teens who are exposed to second-hand smoke could be at greater risk of suffering from mental health disorders like depression, anxiety and ADHD, according to a new study that's among the first to closely examine the potential association between second-hand smoke and mental health.

Researchers writing in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, looked at nearly 3,000 children, aged 8 to 15. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, more than 60 percent of children between the ages of 3 and 11 are exposed to second-hand smoke.

Smoke exposure in the children (who were part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted from 2001 to 2004), was determined by looking at serum cotinine levels -- a marker used to show how much smoke has entered the body. The 3,000 participants were also screened for potential mental disorders using the National Institute of Mental Health's Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children questionnaire, which diagnoses for conditions included in DSM IV.

Ultimately, researchers found that higher serum cotinine levels were linked to symptoms associated with major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, ADHD and conduct disorder, which the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry defines as a group of chronic behavioral and emotional problems.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/06/second-hand-sm...

[Gidney N Cloyd]

1. Article continued...

But as the Los Angeles Times points out, "none of those symptoms added up to a single diagnosis of a mental health disorder that could be linked with exposure to second-hand smoke in the children and teens in the study. "The study's authors themselves state that they were limited by their inability to control for psychiatric history, meaning, the fact that children with depressed mothers are more likely to have poor mental health.

[russspeakeasy]

4. It is also responsible for shoplifting, speeding, bowleggedness,

baldness, obesity, speeding in your dad's car, failure to do
your chores, addiction to lip balm and listening to bad
music.

[sofa king]

6. I'm surprised they can link it to anything.

Seeing as it's currently linked to cancer with only a 90% confidence level, based on a study that was never actually published, or some annoying bullshit like that.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

11. Don't forget droopy pants.

[Ian David]

2. I wonder how many of the Anti-Vax-nuts smoke? n/t

[Mojorabbit]

3. I don't believe it

All the kids in my family are ADD but our parents were also. My father did smoke when I was a child..lucky strikes and I smoked as a teen and adult. For me it was self medication.
Too many variables. I am not terribly fond of psychiatry which seems to want to pinhole everyone with some kind of label.

[Hannah Bell]

5. bs junk science

[Scottybeamer70]

7. Dang.........

with all the research and so many "illnesses" blamed on whatever they decide
to come up with on a particular day, it's simply a miracle there are any adults
still alive today! These people need to find a new line of work. They've
worn out all the excuses for more "medication". Maybe we should medicate
the medicators!

[Taverner]

8. Correlation is not causation

The stock market goes up when hemlines on women's skirts goes up, but that doesn't mean causation

[hayu_lol]

9. Wonder what 2nd hand pot smoke does to kids?

No one ever seems to do research on this.

Perhaps cig smoking parents could alternate with pot so that their kids won't be depressed.

[Taverner]

12. Smoking pot is so last century. VAPORIZING pot is much safer

and no second hand anything

[Wednesdays]

10. I was about to say...is it chicken or egg?

In other words, could it be that families disposed to certain genetic conditions that cause things such as ADHD, to be more likely to smoke?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. What does an eleventy million gallons of radioactive waste pumped into the Pacific do?