Over half of American adults have experienced alcoholism within their families. If you have personally, you know what a horrific effect it can have on a family. What troubles me more than the fact that 7 percent of American adults meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism, is the fact that children are starting to drink at younger and younger ages.

The average age of a child's FIRST drink is 12. Research reveals that 78% of high school students have tried alcohol, and 30% of high school students binge drink at least once a month. You may think, 'Well that is part of growing up'...not so.

The average age for a teenager to start drinking (as a habit) is 14. Research shows that teens that begin drinking under the age of 15 years are 4 times more likely to become alcohol dependent than those who do not drink before the age of 21. In other words, kids who start drinking too young are less likely to "outgrow" their party years and more likely to end up with an alcohol problem as an adult. If drinking is delayed until age 21, a person's risk of serious alcohol problems is decreased by 70 percent. That's huge.

Research has proven that alcohol effects the developing brain. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of alcohol abusing kids (ages 14-21) were compared to MRIs of non-drinkers. The study reported that the alcohol abusing kids had a 10 percent smaller hippocampi, the memory and learning area of the brain, and that even occasional binge drinking injures the adolescent's brain. The study reported this difference significant and possibly irreversible. In comparison, an adult would have to consume twice the amount of alcohol to suffer the same damage. Brains don't finish developing until a person is over 20. The last region to develop is the part of the brain the allows a person to make complex judgments and plan.

Some parents might believe that allowing their teenager a little alcohol won't hurt them as long as they are watching them (e.g. occasional wine at dinner or a beer with Dad). Think again. It sends the wrong message to a child. In essence you are telling your adolescent "it is ok to break the law, as long as I'm with you." Would you let your child steal if you were in the store with him? An adolescent interprets this as a "green light" for violating the drinking laws. And guess what? When the parents are not around, there will be no reason for this young person to abstain from peer pressure, and one drink leads to another and another. Statistics show an increase in highway deaths, sexual promiscuity, and agression among teens under the influence of alcohol.

The adolescent who makes it to 21 without relying on alcohol to create fun in her life has an added benefit that is often overlooked in our society. She develops constructive habits and activities that don't include excessive alcohol use. Adolescence is the crucial developmental period when a person learns healthy habits and thought processes (without the crutch of a drug) to enjoy life.

How parents can help their teen:

• Educate your child on the negatives of adolescent drinking (Brain damage, cognitive disadvantages)

• Make it clear that you are against underage drinking (for these logical reasons in addition to the fact that it is illegal)

• If you drink, model moderation to your child

• Do not drink at events where your child will be driving home with you (this sends the message of responsible drinking to your child)

• Educate yourself on all of the research and abstinence material available

According to MADD.org, alcohol is the number one drug problem of today's youth. If you are a teen or a parent of a teen, it is worth your time to sit down together and check out their website to learn more about the hazards of underage drinking.