In this episode of Kids Health Matters we lift the lid on vaping to help parents feel confident in tackling one of the hottest health topics of our time.

How addictive are vapes? What damage can vaping cause and should adults be concerned about the impact of vaping around children?

Our guest experts team up to tackle these questions and:

• recommend strategies to discuss vaping with young people
• explain the harms of vaping use for children and teens and
• discuss how schools are responding to concerns about vaping.

Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) Respiratory and Sleep Consultant Dr Adelaide Withers joins Child and Adolescent Community Health (CACH) nurse Kellie, who works as both a school health nurse and child health nurse, to discuss the harmful side effects in simple, easy to understand language.

Dr Adelaide outlines why it’s ‘cool to quit’ and dispels the myth that vaping is safer than smoking.

Our guests also discuss:

• what age group is most at risk
• the impacts of vaping on a young person’s ability to exercise and
• the sneaky tactics used in the marketing of vapes to teens.

Most importantly parents are urged to be informed, be aware and start as early as possible to have age-appropriate conversations with your child or teen.

Kellie shares a different perspective based on strategies used within schools to educate students about the harms of vaping.

As a school health nurse, she sees the impact of vaping daily and encounters some students who struggle to make it through a school day without a vape.

Adults who vape are also warned about the risks of leaving vapes where they can be accessed by youngsters because there have been instances of nicotine poisoning in younger children.

The Kids Health Matters podcast series provides trusted advice on common child health concerns from leading experts at the Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS).

Further information about the podcast series can be found at https://cahs.health.wa.gov.au/For-families-and-carers/Resources/Library/Kids-Health-Matters

Kids Health Matters is proudly produced by CAHS which includes Neonatology, CACH Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and PCH.

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