DuPage County Health Department Kids Section

How Parents Can Protect Their Kids from becoming addicted smokers

Most parents do not want their kids to smoke. Smoking causes many health problems such as: lung cancer, heart disease, strokes, premature disability and death. Smoking can harm kids well before they reach adulthood by causing a number of immediate, sometimes irreversible, health risks and problems.

More than a third of all high school students smoke, while experimentation can start as early as fourth grade.

Every day, 6,000 new kids try smoking for the first
time, and another 3,000 become regular smokers.
If this trend continues, roughly one third of youth smokers will die prematurely from their smoking.

Parents must work against pro-smoking influences.
The U.S. cigarette companies spend more than
$22.5 million per day marketing their products and they rely on youth smokers to replace adults who quit
or die.

What parents say, how they act, and the values they communicate through their words and deeds have an enormous influence on children. Parents can take the following action to help ensure that their children remain (or become) tobacco-free:

If you don’t smoke, don’t start! If you do smoke, quit! Children who have parents who smoke are more likely to smoke.

If you smoke, share your struggles to quit with your children. Kids underestimate how difficult it is to quit smoking.

Maintain a smoke-free home. A smoke-free home makes children less likely to smoke even if their parents smoke.

Tell your kids that you don’t want them to smoke and will be disappointed if they do. Parents’ attitudes and feelings about children are very important.

Make sure your kids have the facts they need. Make sure that kids know how harmful smoking is.

Emphasize the immediate health effects. Most kids believe smoking will have no effect until they reach middle-age. But smoking may cause persistent coughs, respiratory problems, susceptibility to illness, and decreased physical performance.

Emphasize the effects of smoking on physical appearance. Smoking causes yellow teeth, bad breath, smelly clothes, and more severe and early facial wrinkles.

Destroy the myth that everybody smokes. Less than 25% of adults and 17% of all teens actually smoke.

Good Parenting is Not Enough!

Parents can play an important role outside of their homes.

By staying involved in your child’s life, you can reduce the risk that your child will smoke and also reduce the chances that they will become involved in other risky behaviors, such as alcohol and other drug use, and early sexual involvement.

Taken from: How Parents Can Protect Their Kids From Becoming Addicted Smokers, National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids, August 28, 2001

Splash into summer by joining the Health Department’s Healthy Bookworm Club.

Earn HOT prizes.
We are looking for books of interest to children on public health or public health issues. If you read one, write a book review by answering the following questions, and we will post this information on our web site.

Title, Author, # of Pages
Subject (just a few sentences)
How is this information related to public health?
(no more than one paragraph!)
What did you learn?
How would you rate the book? (A, B, C, D, F,)
Your name, Grade, Home address
Telephone number, Email address (if you do have one)

All entries must be received by August 1, 2002.
Send to:
Health Bookworm Club

c/o Office of Planning
DuPage County Health Department
111 N. County Farm Road
Wheaton, IL. 60187
or email to bookworm@dupagehealth.org

Prizes to include:
1st Prize: tickets to Great America
2nd Prize: movie tickets
3rd Prize: backpack
4th Prize: school supply gift card
5th Prize: restaurant gift certificate
All who enter receive a Healthy Bookworm T-shirt.
for more information visit
www.dupagehealth.org/kidspage

More FACTOIDS

To help avoid severe injuries, always swim in a supervised area and never

swim alone. Never dive into above ground pools. Always enter shallow water feet first. Dive only from the end of the diving board, with your hands in front of you. If a lifeguard is not on duty, do not swim unless an adult who knows CPR accompanies you. If a swimming pool is properly maintained, there will be no bacteria seen, water should be clear and there should not be a strong odor of chlorine.

In Illinois, as of January 1, 2002, everyone under age 16 is required to Buckle Up. Booster seats are recommended for anyone over 40 pounds and under 4 foot 9 inches. Boosters lift you up so the seat belt fits better. The seat belt needs to be between the neck and shoulder.

It is estimated that 75 percent of bicycle-related deaths among children could be prevented by wearing a bicycle helmet.

Make sure you wear your helmet correctly. It needs to be centered on your head and always with the straps buckled. Children who wear their helmets tipped back have a 52 percent greater risk of head injury than those who wear their helmet properly.

Railroad tracks, trestles, yards and equipment are private property. Walking or playing on them is illegal - trespassers are subject to arrest and fines. Too often the penalty is death.

Roaches Are Everywhere! Quick Tips for your home

Eliminate food and water sources
• Keep kitchen counters, cabinets, drawers and floors free of all food debris.
• Keep food packages closed, preferably sealed tightly in containers.
• Do not leave dirty dishes out.
• Remove food and water bowls for pets during the night.
• Empty garbage and recycle containers often.
• Repair any plumbing leaks.

Eliminate harborage* locations
• Seal (caulk*, foam or spackle) openings in the walls, especially around utility lines.
• Caulk cabinets together and to the wall and floor.
• Caulk the top and bottom of baseboards to the wall and floor.
• Remove clutter to reduce harborage areas.

Treatment
• Use bait stations, baiting gel, traps and the egg stopper products according to the directions.
• Minimize or eliminate the use of spray or fogging pesticides.
• Contact a Pest Control Operator if needed.
• Protect your food from any chemical treatment.