Passive smoking harms kids’ bones

In a shocking disclosure on World Osteoporosis Day, it has been found that the main cause of secondary juvenile osteoporosis is exposure to passive smoking or lead, which is commonly used in car or inverter batteries.

According to Dr Ajay Singh, head of the paediatric orthopaedic department in the King George’s Medical University, at least three children are coming in with secondary juvenile osteoporosis every week, and that too from different parts of the state. “Almost all of them are subjected to passive smoking as members in their families are regular smokers.”

Many such children could be suffering from osteoporosis — a problem known to cause weakening of bones with age.

Dr Singh said that juvenile osteoporosis can either be genetic or secondary. “The one inherited from parents is genetic or idiopathic, while the secondary may be an outcome of other factors, including passive smoking.”

He said the cases often went unnoticed or unreported following absence of a proper protocol. The standards for bone mineral density are meant for adults (people above 21 years) and are not applied to children normally. “Thus, diagnosis depends largely on clinical presentation.”

Kids also show symptoms like pain in lower back, hips and feet, often accompanied by difficulty in walking, and spinal deformities.

Dr Singh advised that to prevent secondary juvenile osteoporosis, children should be given adequate amount of calcium and vitamin-D to keep bones in good health. “It is important to know that calcium is effective only in presence of adequate vitamin-D. Regular exercises, balanced diet and proper exposure to sun is also needed,” he added.