Smoking in Pregnancy Tied to Poor Reading Skills in Kids: Study | WPN World People News

Children whose mothers smoked one or more packs of cigarettes a day during pregnancy have poorer reading skills than other children, a new study finds.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 5,000 children in the United Kingdom, and compared their scores on a series of tests assessing how accurately a child reads aloud and comprehends what he or she reads. The children were tested at ages 7 and 9.

On average, children whose mothers smoked at least one pack of cigarettes a day during pregnancy scored 21 percent lower on the tests than children born to nonsmoking mothers.

In a class of 31 students with similar backgrounds and education, a child of a mother who smokes will rank an average of seven places lower in reading accuracy and comprehension ability than a child of a nonsmoking mother, the researchers concluded.

It's not a little difference -- it's a big difference in accuracy and comprehension at a critical time when children are being assessed, and are getting a sense of what it means to be successful.

The effects of smoking during pregnancy are especially strong in children with an underlying speech disorder, which suggests an interaction between nicotine exposure in the womb and a highly heritable trait such as speech ability.

Source: HealthDay News