Pubdate: Sun, 24 Aug 1997 Source: Sunday Times Contact: Children of 8 join alcohol casualty list by Stephen McGinty A RECORD number of underage drinkers, including some as young as eight, are being admitted to hospital suffering from alcoholrelated illnesses. A study by casualty staff at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool, to be published in the autumn, reveals that the number of children attending the hospital with alcoholrelated problems has grown tenfold in the past decade. In 1985 just 20 children were treated for alcoholrelated problems. Last year the figure was 200. Similar rises were reported by 20 large hospitals across the country, with figures from 250 accident and emergency units suggesting an estimated 50,000 teenagers are now being admitted drunk to casualty departments each year. The report is backed by a survey by the Schools' Health Education Unit based at Exeter University. It found that an estimated 84,000 children aged between 12 and 15 in England and Wales regularly drink more than the recommended maximum weekly level for adults of 21 units for women and 28 units for men. Two units of alcohol are equivalent to one pint of lager or a large glass of wine. Experts blame the rise on children maturing earlier and a lack of parental control. Children identify the glamorisation of drink by pop stars and advertisers as a contributing factor. Simon, 13, came close to dying after drinking 15 measures of vodka. He had begun an evening of illicit drinking in Hastings, East Sussex, at a friend's house. He received superficial injuries in a drunken brawl, but the amount of alcohol consumed left him with serious alcoholic poisoning. His mother, Gail, 37, said: "Another drink could have killed him. I've explained the dangers I just pray this will teach him a lesson." Other cases uncovered by The Sunday Times include: * Phillip, 12, who had his stomach pumped at a Bristol hospital after collapsing drunk at a youth club disco. He had drunk six alcopops and a large bottle of cider, smuggled in by older boys. * A nineyearold who was carried into Conquest hospital in Hastings by his father after stealing six bottles of Becks beer from the family drinks cabinet. When confronted, the boy tried to hit his father and slashed his hand by breaking a mirror with his fist. * Buying drink is not a problem for Tony, 14, and his friends waiting outside an offlicence in Birmingham's city centre: "First you see if they will sell it to you. If they don't, you pay off a tramp they'll always buy you drink." * In the village of Congresbury, near Bristol, young teenagers buy homemade cider through older friends. Martin, 13, said: "We do it at weekends. You can't go home when you're out of your head, so we get a tent and camp out somewhere. We tell our parents we're staying at each others' houses." Additional reporting: Simon Trump Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers LimitedSunday Times August 24 1997 Children of 8 join alcohol casualty list by Stephen McGinty A RECORD number of underage drinkers, including some as young as eight, are being admitted to hospital suffering from alcoholrelated illnesses. A study by casualty staff at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool, to be published in the autumn, reveals that the number of children attending the hospital with alcoholrelated problems has grown tenfold in the past decade. In 1985 just 20 children were treated for alcoholrelated problems. Last year the figure was 200. Similar rises were reported by 20 large hospitals across the country, with figures from 250 accident and emergency units suggesting an estimated 50,000 teenagers are now being admitted drunk to casualty departments each year. The report is backed by a survey by the Schools' Health Education Unit based at Exeter University. It found that an estimated 84,000 children aged between 12 and 15 in England and Wales regularly drink more than the recommended maximum weekly level for adults of 21 units for women and 28 units for men. Two units of alcohol are equivalent to one pint of lager or a large glass of wine. Experts blame the rise on children maturing earlier and a lack of parental control. Children identify the glamorisation of drink by pop stars and advertisers as a contributing factor. Simon, 13, came close to dying after drinking 15 measures of vodka. He had begun an evening of illicit drinking in Hastings, East Sussex, at a friend's house. He received superficial injuries in a drunken brawl, but the amount of alcohol consumed left him with serious alcoholic poisoning. His mother, Gail, 37, said: "Another drink could have killed him. I've explained the dangers I just pray this will teach him a lesson." Other cases uncovered by The Sunday Times include: * Phillip, 12, who had his stomach pumped at a Bristol hospital after collapsing drunk at a youth club disco. He had drunk six alcopops and a large bottle of cider, smuggled in by older boys. * A nineyearold who was carried into Conquest hospital in Hastings by his father after stealing six bottles of Becks beer from the family drinks cabinet. When confronted, the boy tried to hit his father and slashed his hand by breaking a mirror with his fist. * Buying drink is not a problem for Tony, 14, and his friends waiting outside an offlicence in Birmingham's city centre: "First you see if they will sell it to you. If they don't, you pay off a tramp they'll always buy you drink." * In the village of Congresbury, near Bristol, young teenagers buy homemade cider through older friends. Martin, 13, said: "We do it at weekends. You can't go home when you're out of your head, so we get a tent and camp out somewhere. We tell our parents we're staying at each others' houses." Additional reporting: Simon Trump Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited