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| |    Alcohol and Your Child: Lowering the Risk by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. Like it or not, alcohol is a time-honored part of American culture, but it is also a dangerous drug. In terms of the number of people addicted, the medical problems it causes, the violence it leads to, and its financial costs, the consequences of alcoholism are far worse than all other drugs combined. Few school-age children abuse alcohol. But by 12th grade, half of them drink regularly, and 30 percent engage in periodic binge drinking. Somehow, between the beginning of middle school and the end of high school, a lot of our children are making alcohol a big part of their lives. What's more, the earlier they start, the greater the chances that they will end up addicted to alcohol or suffer some degree of brain damage from drinking. There's no mystery about why this happens. Young people are bombarded by slick advertisements that make drinking look like the answer to many of their adolescent problems. The ads tell them that the right beer or liquor can make them confident, attractive, and successful. (Alcohol producers spend more than a billion dollars a year on advertising, nearly 20 times the amount spent on advertising milk!) Peer pressure plays a big role, too. Drinking seems like a grown-up thing to do. Teen parties are often built around drinking, and kids who refuse are labeled nerds. Teens view drinking as mildly risky (that's part of the allure), but they don't really believe that alcohol is dangerous. Even though they can see how alcohol has wrecked the lives of peers (and often relatives), most young people are certain that nothing like that could ever happen to them. They live for the moment, protected by the common teenage notion that they are invulnerable. What you can do As the parent of a teenager or soon-to-be-teenager, what can you do to protect your child from the dangers of alcohol? Actually, you can do a lot! We know that children--even back-talking teenagers--really do care what their parents think. By teaching your children to value themselves and do their own thinking, you prepare them to ward off the temptations of drinking and other risky behaviors. The example you set--in how you talk about alcohol and how you use alcohol in your own life--makes a huge difference. The clear expectations and rules that you lay down give your child something to lean on when her judgment wavers. The positive role you play in her social life helps her to enjoy friends and activities that don't center around drinking. Talking with your child about alcohol isn't as easy as simply saying "Don't Drink!" but it's not rocket science, either. The next article in this series give some concrete tips about how to start the conversation and what to say. More information: Talk about:
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