Indiana Pediatrics Group Implements First Parental Cessation Program In The Country

Boone County Indiana pediatrician Sarah Bosslet, MD is forging new ground to help parents stop smoking and hopefully improve the health of her youngest patients. Even though the program has primarily been used in research and study settings--and never in a clinical setting like a physician's office, Dr. Bosslet is hoping for a positive outcome and change for patients and their families.

Known as CEASE—Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure, the program was developed by the Julius B. Richmond Center of Excellence at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Dr. Bosslet supports the program because of its efforts to reduce secondhand smoke exposure in children. The program interviews parents, offers adult counseling, and is supposed to help them effectively quit. The program is six months long, and despite the fact that it takes “ a couple of weeks" to get the parent committed" to stop smoking, Dr. Bosslet is very hopeful that the program will become successful. She has received a grant from the American Academy of Pediatrics to help fund the study. She is volunteering to give over information from her work to help those who are involved in the development of the program better understand its response by parents. Even though we talk every day to parents, and witness the illnesses related to smoking in children's lives, is very difficult to stop the habit and promote change. Nearly 40% of all smokers try to quit unsuccessfully at some point during their lifetime.
As a nurse, I see many parents who say "well I'm going to stop after the baby comes" or "I'll stop when the kids start school". They never do reach that goal. Unfortunately, many parents do not feel that their children are enough motivation to stop. I would love to think that the CEASE program is effective, and I hope for the children who are the patients of Dr. Bosslet this program works out wonderfully. To stop all the asthma, all the wheezing, and all the croup filled nights and even all those ear infections—would be an accomplishment it itself. Parents simply do not see the link between their smoking in their children's health. Or rather, they simply choose not to.