CENTENNIAL, Colo. — The Centers for Disease Control is now investigating 193 cases of severe lung disease related to e-cigarettes or vaping, including one in Colorado.
The “ongoing outbreak” is particularly alarming because Colorado has the highest youth vaping rate in the country.
At Greenwood Pediatrics in Centennial, Dr. Dan Feiten said the issue of vaping is taking on a new urgency.
“We see teens with chronic cough, and we now ask about vaping. Sometimes it’s hard to know whether or not they are telling the truth, but I think that we have to seriously ask questions,” he said.
Feiten said parents need to talk to their kids openly about vaping related illness, and press them if they have a new cough or other symptoms.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment says people who vape should be on the lookout for symptoms including shortness of breath or trouble breathing, chest pain, cough, fatigue, and possible fever.
Education is important. Feiten said he’s had teens vaping in the office waiting room, and the number of kids who are vaping is astounding.
“Our rate in Colorado is two times the national average, and we’ve got to start addressing it,” he said.