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Smoking Tied to Toddlers’ Bad Behavior 

Mothers who smoke during pregnancy may have misbehaving kids. In a study published in the April issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine studied 99 mothers and their 2 year old toddlers. Fifty two of the mothers smoked during pregnancy, while 47 of the mothers quit either during pregnancy, or started smoking after childbirth. 

The researchers found that maternal smoking is associated with misbehavior, determined by the toddlers’ rebelliousness, impulsiveness, and general risk taking. The authors also found that bad behavior would be less likely if the mother quit smoking during pregnancy. 

Previous studies have demonstrated a link to kids’ bad behavior and maternal smoking.  This is most likely due to the effect of nicotine on the developing brain.

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