E-cigarettes: A new hazard for children and adolescents

Introduction:
This article is a survey of paediatricians in Canada regarding the incidence and characteristics of e-cigarette exposure among children and adolescents. The survey aimed to describe the spectrum of injuries observed by Canadian paediatricians related to inhalation of e-cigarettes or ingestion of e-cigarette fluid among children and youth.

Key points:

* The survey was completed by 20.5% of paediatricians and paediatric subspecialists in Canada.
* Over the previous year period, there were 220 children and adolescents under the age of 19 years, seen by paediatricians for injuries/ symptoms from exposure to e-cigarettes.
* Fifty per cent of cases were seen by a general paediatrician and 50% by a paediatric subspecialist.
* Symptoms related to inhalation were present in 135 cases and in 85 cases related to ingestion.
* For inhalation cases, the majority of cases were reported to be male, ages 15 to 19 years.
* For ingestion cases, most were male, ages 1 to 4 years presenting to an emergency department with nausea/vomiting, cough or respiratory irritation.
* Younger ingestion cases accessed e-fluid at home, older cases purchased it in a mall kiosk/ store.
* E-fluid flavours reported consumed were fruit, candy and tobacco.

Main message:
The study highlights the potential harm that e-cigarettes can cause to children and adolescents, including nicotine toxicity, respiratory irritation, and burns. The authors suggest that more stringent legislation around the use, access, and control of sale and purchase of e-cigarettes in Canada and the USA is needed to minimize injury and to provide the evidence to support provincial and federal advocacy for policy change. The study also emphasizes the importance of improving education for parents and caregivers about the risk of injury that can result from exposure to e-cigarettes and e-fluid to reduce the risk.

Richmond, Sarah A, Ian Pike, Jonathon L Maguire, and Alison Macpherson. “E-Cigarettes: A New Hazard for Children and Adolescents.” Paediatrics & Child Health 23, no. 4 (June 12, 2018): 255–59. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/pxx204.