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It has been found that alcoholism runs in families. Children of alcoholics are four times more likely than other children to become alcoholics.
If you are a parent these facts should scare you. If you have not asked yourself the following questions, then you should read them. Think about your child with each question you read.
1. So, as a parent, what can you do to prevent your child from being an alcoholic?
2. What can you do to help your child if they are already an alcoholic?
3. At what age do you think your child would begin to experiment with alcohol?
4. Do you know why your child would become an alcoholic.
5. Are you certain, at this very moment, your child is not an alcoholic?
We always urge parents to seek professional help in these situations and not treat any of these issues themselves based solely on any information on this website. The following websites should give you some of the information you need to answer these questions. I urge all parents and grand parents to search through each site. Use as much of the information as you can to help prevent or stop your from being an alcoholic. If you don't, then your child may pay the price of being a slave to alcohol for the rest of their lives.
By the way, drunk drivers are the primary cause of vehicle deaths. How would you, as their parent, feel if your child were the cause of an accident and killed someone's son or daughter? If you prevent the drinking then you will not only save your child, but maybe another child as well.
Children Of Alcoholics
No. 17; Updated November 2002
One in five adult Americans lived with an alcoholic while growing up. Child and adolescent psychiatrists know these children are at greater risk for having emotional problems than children whose parents are not alcoholics. Alcoholism runs in families, and children of alcoholics are four times more likely than other children to become alcoholics. Most children of alcoholics have experienced some form of neglect or abuse.
A child in such a family may have a variety of problems:
Guilt. The child may see himself or herself as the main cause of the mother's or father's drinking.
Anxiety. The child may worry constantly about the situation at home. He or she may fear the alcoholic parent will become sick or injured, and may also fear fights and violence between the parents.
Embarrassment. Parents may give the child the message that there is a terrible secret at home. The ashamed child does not invite friends home and is afraid to ask anyone for help.
Inability to have close relationships. Because the child has been disappointed by the drinking parent many times, he or she often does not trust others.
Confusion. The alcoholic parent will change suddenly from being loving to angry, regardless of the child's behavior. A regular daily schedule, which is very important for a child, does not exist because bedtimes and mealtimes are constantly changing.
Anger. The child feels anger at the alcoholic parent for drinking, and may be angry at the non-alcoholic parent for lack of support and protection.
Depression. The child feels lonely and helpless to change the situation.
Although the child tries to keep the alcoholism a secret, teachers, relatives, other adults, or friends may sense that something is wrong. Child and adolescent psychiatrists advise that the following behaviors may signal a drinking or other problem at home:
* Failure in school; truancy
* Lack of friends; withdrawal from classmates
* Delinquent behavior, such as stealing or violence
* Frequent physical complaints, such as headaches or stomachaches
* Abuse of drugs or alcohol; or
* Aggression towards other children
* Risk taking behaviors
* Depression or suicidal thoughts or behavior
Some children of alcoholics may act like responsible "parents" within the family and among friends. They may cope with the alcoholism by becoming controlled, successful "overachievers" throughout school, and at the same time be emotionally isolated from other children and teachers. Their emotional problems may show only when they become adults.
Whether or not their parents are receiving treatment for alcoholism, these children and adolescents can benefit from educational programs and mutual-help groups such as programs for children of alcoholics, Al-Anon, and Alateen. Early professional help is also important in preventing more serious problems for the child, including alcoholism. Child and adolescent psychiatrists can diagnose and treat problems in children of alcoholics. They can also help the child to understand they are not responsible for the drinking problems of their parents.
The treatment program may include group therapy with other youngsters, which reduces the isolation of being a child of an alcoholic. The child and adolescent psychiatrist will often work with the entire family, particularly when the alcoholic parent has stopped drinking, to help them develop healthier ways of relating to one another.
The article above was borrowed from: http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/children_of_alcoholics
Leadership To Keep Children Alcohol Free - Parents
Make A Difference: Talk to Your Child About Alcohol, is a guide for ... Reach Out Now: Prevent Underage Alcohol Use by Talking With Your Sixth Grader, ...
http://www.alcoholfreechildren.org/en/audiences/parents.cfm
National PTA : Article : Teens and Alcohol: Preventing that lethal ...
Parents can help prevent underage alcohol use by sending a strong message at home. Here are some suggestions:. Discuss expectations with your children. ...
http://www.pta.org/archive_article_details_1117659187328.html
Make A Difference
You may wonder why a guide to preventing teen alcohol use is putting so much emphasis on parentsÂ’ need to understand and support their children. ...
http://www.pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/MakeADiff_HTML/makediff. htm
A State Call To Action: Working to End Child Abuse and Neglect in ...
Prevention of alcohol and substance abuse among adolescents should be the top priority. Secondly, for parents involved with substances, preventing child ...
http://www.masskids.org/cta/cta_ii_ch04.html
The Role of Parents in Preventing and Addressing Underage Drinking
Children of Alcoholics:. ** Are at high risk for developing alcohol and ... 17 National Institute on Drug Abuse, Preventing Drug Use Among Children and ...
http://www.health.org/govpubs/RPO991/
CHILDREN OF ALCOHOLICS
Professional help, the earlier the better, is also important in preventing more serious problems for the child, including alcoholism. ...
http://www.puberty101.com/aacap_alcoholc.shtml
H:\Parenting the Preschooler\Health and Safety\Preventing Alcohol ...
Preventing Alcohol Abuse Starts Early. Any child can be at risk for alcohol or other drug. problems. Prevention starts now with your. preschooler. ...
http://www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/pp/pdf/alcohol.pdf
Alcoholism Home Page
Is Your Child Using Drugs or Alcohol? ... Alcoholism Screening QuizAdult Child of Alcoholics Screening QuizSymptoms of Alcohol WithdrawalDrug Abuse ...
http://www.alcoholism.about.com/
MedlinePlus: Alcohol and Youth
Also available in: Spanish · Make a Difference: Talk to Your Child about Alcohol (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) ...
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alcoholandyouth.html
Your Children's Alcoholism
One or both parents of alcoholic children may be recovering alcoholics themselves. ... In addition, we've found that parents of alcoholic children have some ...
http://www.addictionrecov.org/paradigm/P_PR_S98/Alcoholism.html
The Impact of Alcoholism on Children
Children of alcoholics are at a higher risk for alcoholism and other drug ... A relationship between parental alcoholism and child abuse is evident in a ...
http://www.magellanassist.com/mem/library/healthobserv/feb05_ impactalcoholchild. asp
Kids and Alcohol
Although experimentation with alcohol may be common among kids, it's not safe or legal. To help prevent alcohol abuse in children, it's a good idea to begin ...
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/alcohol.html
Take Action: Protect America's Kids from Alcohol
Adopting and enforcing laws to prevent alcohol-related deaths and injuries among young people; - Promoting alcohol free events for kids; ...
http://www.members.jointogether.org/campaign/getserious?source=adv_web_newswrapper
The Relationship Between Parental Alcohol or Other Drug Problems ...
How can we prevent these problems? Aside from promoting awareness of the link between parental alcohol or other drug problem and. child maltreatment and ...
http://www.member.preventchildabuse.org/site/DocServer/parental_ alcohol. pdf?docID=125
Talking to your kids about alcohol. Talking to your kids about ...
or not their children will experience alcohol or ... the Nebraska Council to Prevent Alcohol and Drug Abuse. DSHS 22-084 (Rev. 1/00) ...
http://www.co.whatcom.wa.us/health/pdf/sub_talk_alcohol.pdf
CAST -- Resources
NCADI - National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information · National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse NCPCA is a not-for-profit, volunteer-based ...
http://www.castri.org/resources.htm
Are you a teen and need another teen to listen to you?
Do you, as a teen, need answers from another teen to your questions about anything?
Go to the following website:
OnYourMind .net: Peer support, chat, information and help...
So, what's on your mind? We're a non-profit web-based organization from teens, for teens that can provide support and referrals through an online chat, ...
http://www.onyourmind.net/
Books on children and alcoholism!
Search the box below for more information on children and alcoholism or any other subject.
Follow this link, Children and Alcoholism 
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