Your teen-ager is more argumentative, more temperamental. Or maybe he or she begins complaining of stomachaches, of anxiety, of depression. The 35,000 physicians of Texas Medical Association urge parents to pay attention. Your child could be crying out for help. Your child may have a drinking problem.
Alcohol is the most frequently used and abused drug among teen-agers.
Thirty percent of seniors reported being intoxicated in the two weeks prior to the survey. And teen-agers aren't the only children drinking. With children beginning alcohol use this young, more and more younger children as well as teen-agers are exhibiting signs of serious drinking problems. The signs of alcohol abuse are numerous in children, says Dr. Saundra Gilfillan, a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Look for changes in personality.