Drinking problems

Molly (not her real name) was a quiet girl at nursery, but appeared to settle in well, although sometimes she did seem a little withdrawn. The staff became aware that there was a problem, however, when her mother sometimes failed to turn up to the nursery on time. On several occasions when she came to collect Molly the staff suspected that her mother had been drinking.

Molly's behaviour became quite erratic and often attention-seeking. She developed a boil near her eye, which was not treated although the staff brought it to Molly's mother's attention, and she always had head lice. Her clothes were not always clean when she came to nursery.

The staff tried to discuss Molly with the mother but she told them that the problem was that Molly's father had walked out on them. It later turned out that they were getting a divorce, and were in the middle of a custody battle.

Then Molly's father came to see the staff. He explained about his wife's drink problem and said that they were desperately trying to get her into rehab. After some months, the threat of losing Molly resulted in her mother agreeing to treatment. Molly was cared for in the meantime by her father and she seemed much more settled as a result.

Children of alcoholics

Molly's case is not unusual. An estimated one million children in the UK are growing up in families where at least one member is a problem drinker. In almost every study carried out, these children have more problems than their peers.

A recent study by the National Society for Children of Alcoholics showed that children of problem drinkers are at an increased risk of behavioural, emotional and school problems, and are more likely to develop mental health problems later on. Alcohol is also a major factor in child abuse. According to the NSPCC, one study of fatal child abuse cases showed that in 60 per cent of cases alcohol or drug abuse was involved.

In the UK, alcohol problems double the risk of divorce or separation. They are a factor in 40 per cent of domestic violence incidents and 25 per cent of child abuse cases. Alcohol problems are frequently cited as a contributory factor to divorce.

The roots of problem drinking may lie in childhood, and it is important that children are educated about drinking and its potential problems. If a child has been brought up in a family with a problem drinker, they will not need much educating about the downside of drinking. Many of these children may never even want to touch an alcoholic drink - others, however, may follow in their parents' footsteps, consciously or unconsciously repeating the pattern of their parents' behaviour. For the majority of children, however, early education about alcohol can help them make sensible decisions about drinking later on.

Under-tens drinking

Research has also shown that even young children are exposed to alcoholic drinks. A study in 1993 by Emma Fossey, research fellow in the Alcohol Research Group at the University of Edinburgh, found that by the age of five or six, 96 per cent of children could recognise drunkenness and 90 per cent of children could recognise and identify alcoholic drinks such as beer and whisky by their smell alone.

Another survey of five-to ten-year-olds found that 60 per cent had tasted an alcoholic drink, with boys being more likely to have done this than girls. Eighty-five per cent of these children said that it was their father who first offered them a drink, at home.

How common is drinking by young children? A study by National Statistics carried out in 1998 showed that 74 per cent of 11-year-olds had never had a 'proper' drink - as opposed to 'tastes', although this means that 27 per cent of children this age had. Children are more likely to have drunk low-alcohol drinks such as cider and shandy. They are also increasingly exposed to the new 'alco-pops' - alcoholic sweet fizzy drinks popular with the young teenage market.

Alcohol can be dangerous in even small quantities to babies. A teaspoon of gin to a baby would be the equivalent of a very stiff drink for an adult. It is not commonly known that it is actually illegal to offer alcohol to children under five years old, even in the home, unless prescribed by a doctor. Alcohol has been removed from proprietary medicines such as gripe water - which means that they probably no longer have any real effect. Some alternative health remedies such as Bach flower remedies contain alcohol, and parents should be aware that it is technically illegal to give these to babies or young children.

As children get a little older, it is important that they are aware that drinking can be dangerous. Children will become intoxicated on much smaller amounts than adults, partly because their bodies are smaller and less able to deal with alcohol and partly because they are not familiar with its effects. While 'safe' drinking limits have been set for adults, it has not been established whether there is any 'safe' level at which children can drink.

It is not clear whether babies or young children who are given alcohol develop a taste for it and are more likely to become problem drinkers later on. The Portman Group, an organisation funded by a number of alcohol companies, which aims to promote sensible drinking, has undertaken research in this area. A spokesman said that giving children small, age-appropriate tastes of alcohol may help protect them against heavy drinking later on, while attempts by parents to ban alcohol completely often backfire.

The Portman Group has developed a primary school project to develop classroom materials and resources for teaching and learning at Key Stage 2, to meet National Curriculum guidelines. These suggest activities for children to take part in that will help them understand why people drink alcohol and the dangers of alcohol abuse. When they were piloted in schools, it became clear that even young children have quite a sophisticated knowledge of alcoholic drinks and what happens when people get drunk.

Foaetal alcohol syndrome

Very heavy drinking during a mother's pregnancy is known to cause severe learning difficulties in her child, sometimes accompanied by minor physical abnormalities and retarded growth.

Researches at the University of Washington have now found evidence that moderate drinking during pregnancy may be associated with poorer heart and lung function at birth, and attention deficit later on. If a woman had three drinks a day in pregnancy, her child's IQ was on average five points lower than a child whose mother did not drink at all.

Drinking this amount or more tripled the risk of the child having an IQ of 85 or below.

Further information

*Alcohol Concern, Waterbridge House, 32-36 Loman street, London SE1 OEE 0207 928 7377 alcon@dircon.co.uk

National Association for Children of Alcoholics, PO Box 64, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2UH 0800 358 3456 nacoa@nacoa.org.uk

The Portman Group, 7-10 Chandos Street, Cavendish Square, London W1M 9DE 0207 907 3700 portmangroup@compuserve.com.