Parents and carers who smoke will be offered help to quit the habit when they visit Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital in Cardiff under a pioneering new scheme aimed at protecting children’s health.
As part of the project, led by the hospital’s team of paediatricians, Noah’s Ark staff will ask parents whether they smoke and if they do, will offer to refer them directly to a smoking cessation advisor.
The scheme, supported by ASH Wales, will be the first of its kind in Wales and aims to reduce the risks to children from exposure to second-hand smoke and prevent them taking up the habit in later life.
Children exposed to second-hand smoke in the home are at higher risk of developing coughs, colds, ear infections, chest conditions such as asthma or pneumonia and meningitis. The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is doubled for babies who live with a parent or carer who smoke.
Cigarette smoke lingers in the home up to five hours after a cigarette is stubbed out meaning children continue to inhale smoke particles long after a parent has smoked.
Research by the Tobacco Advisory Group of the Royal College of Physicians found that children whose parents smoke are more likely to take up the habit in later life.
Dr Alice Knight who came up with the idea for the project with Dr Gabrielle Jee after treating children with respiratory conditions in the hospital, said: “We are really excited about this project. Our hope is that every health professional at the Children’s Hospital for Wales would feel empowered ask parents and carers whether they smoke and equipped to offer advice and referral to help them stop smoking. The aim is to improve the health of children and young people in Wales by encouraging parents and carers to stop smoking. We want to make every contact count, whether the child or young person is at the Children’s Emergency Department with a broken arm, a routine outpatient clinic or is admitted to one of the Children’s wards.”
Dr Knight went on to say that the project was created with the help of children and young people across Cardiff: “My favourite part of developing the new resources was working with children and young people in Cardiff,” she said.
“We met virtually with young people from Cardiff and Vale Health Youth Board (HYB) to hear their views and opinions on this project. We also asked children aged 8-12 years in Cardiff what they thought about grown-ups smoking and included some quotes on the new Quit leaflets.”
The charity ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) Wales worked in partnership with the Noah’s Ark team to create leaflets that will be handed out to parents and prompts reminding staff to ask parents about whether they smoke.
ASH Wales CEO, Suzanne Cass, said: “We are proud to support this forward -thinking initiative and hope that it will be emulated by other hospitals across Wales.
“In Wales 18% of the adult population smokes, jeopardising the health of thousands of children every year.
“By encouraging parents that smoke to seek help to quit, the team at Noah’s Ark will protect little lungs and ensure more children don’t grow up exposed to this deadly addiction.”
An event was held at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital to launch the project. Staff can find out more by visiting the Child Health intranet page to access resources, a quick referral link and top tips for starting conversations with parents and carers about smoking.
