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Globally, exposure to second-hand smoke is responsible for 600,000 deaths, of which around 200,000 occur in the pediatric age. This exposure, at pediatric age, is associated with a higher incidence of respiratory disease, otitis, sudden death syndrome and traumatic injuries. The main purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between parents' smoking habits and the number and time of hospitalization due to respiratory diseases. An observational, retrospective correlation study was performed, based on all episodes of hospitalization for pediatric respiratory disease, 2161 cases, in the period 2012-2016. Student's t test was used to measure the statistical significance. A prevalence of 22.3% of tobacco consumption was obtained in hospitalized parents, 14.3% for the mothers and 30.3% for the fathers. There is evidence of a relationship with education, but no relation to employment status. Children of smoking parents have a higher number of hospitalizations but stay on average the same length of time hospitalized per episode. Children of two smoking parents have a higher number of hospitalizations than having only one parent smoker. The results show that second-hand smoke remains a current problem and should be seen as a public health priority. Parental smoking cessation programs initiated in the context of pediatric hospitalization, including measures to limit exposure to second-hand smoke, should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing evidence of chronic respiratory disease in adults having causes in childhood. The increase in morbidity and mortality due to respiratory diseases worldwide has been explained by the presence of atmospheric pollutants, among them the burning of sugarcane. A study was carried out on the health of children exposed to the burning of sugarcane in the municipality of Campos dos Goitacazes, Rio de Janeiro. The objective was to evaluate the respiratory health of schoolchildren in the city and describe the indicators of pollution of the region from burning of sugarcane. Methodology: descriptive study in the period between 2012 and 2013: application of the ISAAC questionnaire, environmental information collection and spirometry. Results: applied 920 questionnaires, 35.73% considered as asthmatic by ISAAC. Daily values of CO, show higher averages in the months of February, September and October of 2012 and May, June, July, August and September of 2013. The daily values of PM 2.5 show values between 11 and 13 ug / m3 during the whole analyzed period. 439 spirometries were performed: 157 in April, before the burnings; 148 and 134, both during the burning period. The means of FVC, FEV1 and FEV1 / FVC without significant differences in the 03 periods evaluated. Conclusion: the study shows a high number of students with asthma in the city of Campos dos Goytacazes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This integrative review aims to provide publications concerning about the use of therapeutic play during sessions of physical therapy in children with respiratory disorders. This kind of intervention such funds placed in care as a strategy to motivate and teach children. The revision was carried out in the databases PubMed, Medline, SciELO, Lilacs, Science Direct, using the descriptors: respiratory therapy, pediatrics and play and playthings. From a total of 73 publications, 36 works were selected in full, developed and published between 1969-2009. Specific literature in the field of respiratory therapy in childhood diseases is still scarce and most of the material part listed regarding the use of toys as a symbol of the cultural, social, educational and even philosophical. These studies do not discuss the pathophysiological principles underlying their use during physical therapy sessions, despite the apparent recognition of its importance as adjuvant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the short-term effects of exposure to particulate matter from biomass burning in the Amazon on the daily demand for outpatient care due to respiratory diseases in children and the elderly. Methods. Epidemiologic study with ecologic time series design. Daily consultation records were obtained from the 14 primary health care clinics in the municipality of Alta Floresta, state of Mato Grosso, in the southern region of the Brazilian Amazon, between January 2004 and December 2005. Information on the daily levels of fine particulate matter was made available by the Brazilian National Institute for Spatial Research. To control for confounding factors (situations in which a non-causal association between exposure and disease is observed due to a third variable), variables related to time trends, seasonality, temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, and calendar effects (such as occurrence of holidays and weekends) were included in the model. Poisson regression with generalized additive models was used. Results. A 10 µg/m³ increase in the level of exposure to particulate matter was associated with increases of 2.9% and 2.6% in outpatient consultations due to respiratory diseases in children on the 6th and 7th days following exposure. Significant associations were not observed for elderly individuals. Conclusions. The results suggest that the levels of particulate matter from biomass burning in the Amazon are associated with adverse effects on the respiratory health of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To review the publications that investigated the association between breastfeeding and asthma in childhood. Source of data: Recent scientific publications from the databases Scielo, Lilacs and Pubmed. Publications in English, Portuguese and Spanish have been included. We have tried to review the mechanisms of allergic reactions and respiratory allergies, as well as publications related to breast milk and the protection of respiratory allergies such as asthma. Summary of findings: The allergic respiratory illnesses are constituted by asthma and allergic rhinitis, with characteristics of type I hypersensitivity, which results from the interaction of environmental allergens with specific IgE antibodies. Most of the reviews on asthma risk factors recommended exclusive breastfeeding to reduce the probability of the development of atopy and asthma in childhood. Although such opinion has been widely accepted, the results from the literature are conflicting. Conclusions: Despite the elevated number of studies published on the subject, it is not possible to conclude that breastfeeding will help to prevent sensitization to allergens in children with asthma. Nevertheless, exclusive breastfeeding must be encouraged during the first months of life because of its large well known benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]