Tobacco Smoke and Exposure to Lead Increases Risk of ADHD

Expectant mothers who smoke more than double the risk of their children developing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke raises the ADHD risk by 2.4 times, according to a group of researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

ADHD is a common neurobiological condition that affects from 5 to 8 percent of school-age children, with about 60 percent of those diagnosed experiencing symptoms that persist into adulthood. Developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity characterize the condition.
Results of the recent analysis estimate that at least 20 percent of the ADHD cases diagnosed could be prevented if expectant mothers simply quit smoking during their pregnancies. In addition, the study revealed that children’s level of exposure to lead is another major factor that contributes to an increased risk of ADHD, even though levels measured during the analysis remained well below the Centers for Disease Control action level of 10 micrograms per deciliter. The total number of ADHD cases could be decreased by about 35 percent just by reducing children’s exposure to lead contained in contaminated paint, soil, and old water pipes. The full report can be found in the journal Pediatrics.