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. 
 
 What is binge drinking? 
 
 According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six adults binge drinks about four times a month. But although binge drinking in adults refers to five or more alcoholic drinks for men, and four or more for women over a 2-hour period, the cutoffs are lower for teens because people that age weigh less, the authors of the report said. 
 
 For some teens, having even three drinks is considered binge drinking, according to the report. And having fewer drinks than that should not be considered safe. 
 
 Part of the problem is how adolescents drink, Siqueira said. They often turn to vodka, she said. And they drink very fast, often directly from the bottle, with the goal of getting drunk — and this can kill them, she said. 
 
 Nearly a third of fatal car accidents among 15- to 20-year-olds involve alcohol, according to the report. 
 
 Drinking at a young age may also interrupt key processes of brain development and increase the risk of developing a chronic alcohol use disorder, according to the report. 
 
 Tips for parents 
 
 To warn children about the dangers of alcohol abuse, Siqueira recommends parents use every available opportunity to talk about the issue. 
 
 "[Alcohol is] ubiquitous" she said. And kids see it everywhere — on the sides of buses, on billboards and in movies, she said. 
 
 "If you're driving, and you see someone swerving, talk about that. If you see it in a movie, talk to your kids about it then," she said. 
 
 Parents should also set a good example for their kids, Siqueira said. Eighty percent of teenagers say that their parents are the biggest influence on their decision to drink, according to the report. 
 
 That doesn't mean parents can't have a glass of wine in front of children, but getting drunk in front of the kids is a bad idea, Siqueira said. Parents should also avoid talking about alcohol to fix problems, like coming home and saying, "I need a drink," she added. 
 
 And when parents take their kids to the doctor for a checkup, they should let the child talk to the doctor alone, Siqueira said. This way, kids can feel like they're in a judgement-free environment, she said. 
 
 Follow Live Science @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Originally published on Live Science. ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. 
 
 Parents and doctors need to take the lead in talking to kids about drinking, and they need to do it before children try their first sip, the main pediatricians’ group says. 
 
 And that moment might come sooner than most adults think it should, the American Academy of Pediatrics says in new guidance published Monday. It’s before they’re even 10 years old. 
 
 "Surveys indicate that children start to think positively about alcohol between ages 9 and 13 years. The more young people are exposed to alcohol advertising and marketing, the more likely they are to drink, and if they are already drinking, this exposure leads them to drink more," Dr. Lorena Siqueira, a Miami pediatrician, and colleagues write in the journal Pediatrics. 
 
 "Therefore, it is very important to start talking to children about the dangers of drinking as early as 9 years of age." 
 
 "It is very important to start talking to children about the dangers of drinking as early as 9 years of age.” 
 
 Parents may not realize their kids are trying booze so young. And pediatricians may not think to ask a pre-teen about it. 
 
 "Twenty-one percent of youth acknowledge having had more than a sip of alcohol before 13 years of age, and most (79 percent) have done so by 12th grade," Siqueira and colleagues wrote. 
 
 Kids tend to overdo it, Siqueira and colleagues said. It’s partly because they are exploring and testing limits. 
 
 "Among youth who drink, the proportion who drink heavily is higher than among adult drinkers, rising from approximately 50 percent in those 12 to 14 years of age to 72 percent among those 18 to 20 years of age," they wrote. 
 
 "Alcohol is the substance most frequently used by children and adolescents in the United States, and its use in youth is associated with the leading causes of death and serious injury at this age (i.e., motor vehicle accidents, homicides, and suicides)." 
 
 So ask, the experts urged their colleagues. 
 
 "During office visits, because alcohol use is so common, it is important for pediatricians to screen every adolescent for alcohol use. Just using one’s clinical impression can underestimate substance use, and therefore structured screening instruments are recommended," they advised. 
 
 There's good news for parents who feel their kids just ignore them. 
 
 "Physicians can also inform parents that 80 percent of teenagers say their parents are the biggest influence on their decision whether to drink."
– Parents should talk to kids about alcohol early—before the age of 10—according to new guidelines in the journal Pediatrics. The American Academy of Pediatrics says kids begin to have positive thoughts about alcohol as early as age 9, thanks to ads everywhere from buses to movies. "The more young people are exposed to alcohol advertising and marketing, the more likely they are to drink, and if they are already drinking, this exposure leads them to drink more," Dr. Lorena Siqueira tells NBC News. As 80% of teens say their parents are the biggest influence on whether or not they drink, parents should try to "influence children's ideas about alcohol early, rather than trying to change their impressions later, from positive to negative," Siqueira adds, per LiveScience. But does having the chat with a 9-year-old seem too early? Consider that 21% of youth say they've had more than a sip of booze before 13, doctors say; 79% admit the same by the 12th grade. Among those 12 to 14 who've drank, 50% are considered heavy drinkers—though one survey suggests the actual number of binge drinkers that age is quite low at 0.8%. About 72% of drinkers aged 18 to 20 are considered heavy drinkers. Since alcohol can be deadly, hurt brain development, is the stuff most commonly abused by kids, and lead to alcoholism, parents should take every chance to raise the topic. "If you're driving, and you see someone swerving, talk about that. If you see it in a movie, talk to your kids about it then," says Siqueira. The report also advises pediatricians screen teens for alcohol use. (Meanwhile, kids allowed to sip alcohol drink more as teens.)