[Passive smoking and frequency of occurrence of disease symptoms in the respiratory system in children aged 0-7].

Passive smoking is the problem all of us but the most harmful is for health of the children. The work aims was the assessment of frequency of occurrence of disease symptoms in the respiratory system in children up to 7 years of age depending on exposure to passive smoking. 100 children admitted to the Regional Children's Hospital in Bydgoszcz were subject to research; all of them living in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship. Research was conducted from May until December 2003. Information concerning family and social situation of the group examined was gathered; also data on disease history and environment was taken. The most frequently occurring respiratory system diseases were: rhinitis--in 69 (69%) children, pharyngitis--in 59 (59%) patients, bronchitis--58 (58%) children, laryngitis--30 % cases, and pneumonia was observed in 23 (23%) children examined. The lowest number--only 3 (3%) persons had sinusitis. The effort was also taken to determine the relation between the frequency of occurrence of symptoms and chronic diseases in the respiratory system and exposure to passive smoking. Research showed that the frequency of occurrence of bronchitis and hoarseness remains in significant statistical relation with passive smoking.