Regarding Children and Healthcare | summer 2008

Help Your Teenager Avoid Drinking

Is your teen moody or having trouble in school? You may think this is typical behavior for teens. But these may be signs that your teen is drinking alcohol.

Kids who drink have a greater chance of being victims of violence, having trouble in school, and being in a car crash.

How do you know if your teen is drinking? Watch for these signs: ? Being moody ? Skipping school or getting poor grades ? Breaking rules ? Changing friends and not wanting you to meet the new friends ? Not caring about anything ? Hiding alcohol

You can help. Let your teen know that he or she can talk with you any time. For more tips, talk with your child’s doctor or contact the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Michigan at 231-347-5511 or e-mail michigan@ncadd.org

You can find additional sources online at www.ncadd-detroit.org/links_resources.html.

Order a copy of our free brochure What Should I Tell My Child About Drinking? Please see page 4. Order this comprehensive guide prepared by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence What Should I Tell My Child About Drinking? with advice for various stages of a child’s development and featuring a series of “teachable moments.” Send your name and address to:

Memorial Medical Center of West Michigan
One Atkinson Drive
Ludington, MI 49431

Or, call 231-845-2222 or 1-800-343-9566.

“Alcohol is far and away the top drug of abuse by America’s teens,” says Joseph Califano, Jr., chair of the National Center on Addiction and Drug Abuse. For additional information, see “Alcohol Use Among Teens Is Epidemic,” and in the Memorial Medical Center Health E-cyclopedia at www.mmcwm.com.