When you're a parent of a teenager, you should always look for signs that your teen may be drinking underage. If you learn that this behavior is going on, you'll likely be upset and may choose to discipline the teen. Rather than just being punitive, it's valuable to educate your teenager about the dangers of drinking, and you shouldn't shy away from getting help from someone who understands. Your child's pediatrician can be a valuable ally in reinforcing the messages that you want your teen to understand — and, sometimes, the words that come from a medical professional instead of from a parent can have a bigger impact. Here are some topics that the pediatrician can discuss with your teen:
Car Accidents
Injuries or death resulting from driving with intoxicated or being a passenger in a vehicle that another intoxicated teen is driving are two of the biggest concerns when teenagers drink alcohol. Your child's pediatrician will be able to emphasize this risk to your teen, and likely use real-world examples that can drive the point home. For example, unless the pediatrician is very new to practicing medicine, he or she has likely had a patient, a family member of a patient, or someone else who has been killed or injured as a result of drunk underage driving. This type of anecdote can be instrumental in teaching your teen the dangers of his or her behavior.
Sexual Assault
Sexual assault can be another of the serious consequences associated with underage drinking. At parties in which there is plenty of underage drinking taking place with no adult supervision, sexual assault can be a real risk. For example, if a teenage girl is intoxicated and not able to give consent, or perhaps even passed out, a male at the party could take advantage of her. If you have a daughter, this is obviously a serious concern, but if you have a son, you don't want him engaging in any of this behavior, either. The pediatrician will be able to talk about the many risks of sexual assault, which can include unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and legal issues.
Violence
Many teenagers who are drinking can become more aggressive, which means that a conflict that might otherwise not escalate above an argument could quickly become physical. All manners of serious injuries can result from drunken fights, especially if there are many combatants of if someone further escalates the issue with the use of a weapon. The pediatrician will likely have some anecdotes on this topic that can hopefully show your teen the risks of underage drinking.
Contact a medical office like Kitsap Children's Clinic LLP for more information and assistance.
Share15 September 2017
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