Parents should start talking to their children about alcohol at age 9, says a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics aimed at preventing binge drinking in young people.
As many as 50 percent of high school students currently drink alcohol, and within that group, up to 60 percent binge drink, the authors wrote in the report, published today (Aug. 31) in the journal Pediatrics.
Among 12- to 14-year-olds who drink, approximately half binge drink, according to the report. And while the total number of binge drinkers this age remains very low (the authors cite one survey which revealed 0.8 percent of 12- to 14-year-olds binge drink), parents should still be aware of the consequences.
The reason to start talking to kids about alcohol before they even reach middle school is that "kids are starting to develop impressions [about alcohol] as early as 9 years," said Dr. Lorena Siqueira, clinical professor of pediatrics at Florida International University and co-author of the new report. So for prevention to work, it's better for parents to influence children's ideas about alcohol early, rather than trying to change their impressions later, from positive to negative, she said.
"[Alcohol] is the substance most frequently abused by children and adolescents," Siqueira told Live Science. But because it's a legal substance, the consequences are downplayed, she said. [The Drug Talk: New Tips for Today's Parents]
"When I have kids in the ICU [intensive care unit], and I tell the parents it's alcohol, they're relieved," Siqueira said. But they shouldn't feel relief, she added. "[Alcohol] is a killer," she said.