1225 Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure and Child Neurodevelopment

Background: In Poland about 30% of children is exposed to environmental tobacco smoke during prenatal period and more than 50% in postnatal one. Such exposure has serious health consequences including negative effect on child neurodevelopment. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on child psychomotor development. Material and Methods: The study population consisted of children with well assessed prenatal exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (three times analysis of cotinine level in saliva of pregnant women). Assessment of child ETS exposure within two years after birth was based on questionnaires conducted with mothers, confirmed by biochemical verification of cotinine level in child urine. The cotinine level in biological samples was analyzed using Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (MSMS). The Bayley Scale for Infant and Toddler Development (BESID-III) was used for the evaluation of child neurodevelopment. Results: Multivariative analysis (including gender, birth order of the child and parental educational status) indicated the statistically significant association between child ETS exposure and cognitive development (b=-4,0; p=0,04). ETS exposure has also negative impact on motor (b=- 2.7; p=0.2) and language (b=-3.4; p=0.08) abilities of the child although the results were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Maternal smoking was found to be related to a decrease child neurodevelopment although it impossible to separate the prenatal from postnatal exposure. All effort should be taken to eliminate the child ETS exposure.