Previous studies have suggested that second-hand smoke and vaping increase the risk of atopic dermatitis (AD) in adults. Now US researchers are warning that parental vaping exacerbates AD in children.

Researchers asked parents whether their child experienced eczema or any skin allergy in the 12 months before the survey. The national survey included over 48.6 million children, aged, on average, 8.4 years. Of these, 13.1 per cent had a history of AD. Among those children without and with AD, 14.4 and 18.0 per cent of adult care-givers vaped.

After adjusting for asthma, allergic rhinitis and respiratory allergies, children with at least one parent who vaped were 24 per cent more likely to have AD than controls.

AD risk was 37 per cent higher in children with at least one parent who just vaped and 19 per cent higher if parents smoked cigarettes and vaped. The risk was 20 and 30 per cent higher if fathers and mothers respectively vaped.