Child alcohol and drugs 'worry'

22 August 2011 Last updated at 05:28 GMT By Kevin Leonard BBC Wales News reporter More than 800 children have ended up in casualty in each of the past three years having drunk alcohol Children as young as four have been treated in accident and emergency departments in Wales for the effects of alcohol, research shows.

Figures obtained by BBC Wales suggest at least 1,200 children attend casualty each year because of drink and drugs.

Children under 12 are among cases of alcohol and drug poisoning.

Dr Richard Lewis, Welsh secretary of the British Medical Association, said the issue was "increasingly worrying".

"I think it's pretty well recognised by health services and health professionals that there's an increasing problem with both alcohol and drug-related incidents with younger and younger people," said Dr Lewis.

"We see year-on-year increases with attendances at A&E departments, particularly for alcohol."

One young person in casualty as a result of alcohol and drugs was one too many, he said.

"It is increasingly worrying. The BMA and the health profession have been advancing for some time the importance of raising the awareness of alcohol in particular," he added.

The figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, show that more than 800 children have attended casualty in each of the past three years in cases where alcohol is a factor.

Hundreds more have been seen after taking drugs, although figures are not necessarily for substance abuse as they may include incidents such as an accidental swallowing of tablets or medication overdose.

Legal highs

Clive Wolfendale, chief executive of north Wales drug and alcohol agency Cais, said the problem of children regularly drinking to such extremes had taken off around five years ago.

"Where kids go first for what might be described as a high is drink, rather than cannabis or opiates or ecstasy or legal highs. The substance of choice is alcohol," he said.

Continue reading the main story

It's perceived as a cool thing to do. That's why young people are much more likely to end up in casualty requiring a stomach pump”

End Quote Clive Wolfendale Cais drug and alcohol agency "The reasons for that are two-fold. First of all it's the cheapness and availability because, in real terms, it's cheaper that it's ever been."

The former North Wales Police deputy chief constable said efforts to prevent the sale of alcohol to children was "easily circumvented" by older people buying it on their behalf.

"The second reason [for alcohol's popularity] is the general thrust of marketing," he added.

"The drink companies are on social networking sites and there's still a lot of direct advertising going on through sports sponsorship and so on.

"It's perceived as a cool thing to do. That's why young people are much more likely to end up in casualty requiring a stomach pump and so on."

Welsh Government guidance states that children under 15 should not drink alcohol as there is evidence that it can harm the developing brain, bones and hormones. It also warns that drinking at 15 and older can be hazardous to health.

Aneurin Bevan Health Board, a small board which covers the former Gwent area, said the vast majority of cases contained in its figures related to teenage alcohol intoxication and misuse.

Drug misuse

However, the health board has also dealt with 21 cases of actual alcohol poisoning among children since 2006, including six for children aged 11 and under.

It has also treated 39 children for drug poisoning from narcotics/hallucinogens since 2006, including 10 last year.

Continue reading the main story

Whilst educating children and young people must remain a top priority, there is also a need for adults involved in a child's life to take responsibility”

End Quote Keith Towler Children's Commissioner for Wales Larger health boards such as Abertawe Bro Morgannwg, which serves Swansea, Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot, Cardiff and Vale, and Betsi Cadwaladr, which covers north Wales, each treat hundreds of children every year in their casualty departments for the effects of drink and drugs.

Children's Commissioner for Wales, Keith Towler, said the figures did not come as a surprise.

"The Welsh Government published its latest wellbeing monitor earlier this year which highlighted how people aged under 20 account for almost one in 10 of all referrals for treatment for alcohol problems in Wales," he said.

"The long-term dangers of alcohol and drug misuse are well documented, and more and more young people now understand the health risks associated with excessive drinking and are, in fact, choosing to avoid alcohol.

"But if we want to successfully combat this problem I think we need to shift society's general attitudes towards alcohol.

"There is plenty of information out there to help children and young people make informed decisions but children tend to succumb to peer pressure and often model the behaviour of those around them.

"Whilst educating children and young people must remain a top priority, there is also a need for adults involved in a child's life to take responsibility."

Welsh Government figures for 2008-09 showed that more than 120 children under the age of 12 in Wales were referred for specialist help for drug and alcohol problems.

Health Board 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

SOURCE: Health boards through FoI request

Hywel Dda and Cardiff and Vale figures include ages 11 and under

Powys does not have accident and emergency facilities

Health Board 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

SOURCE: Health boards through FoI request

* Minimum figure

Cwm Taf figures include alcohol

Hywel Dda figures also include those aged 11 and under

Powys does not have accident and emergency facilities

Health Board 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

SOURCE: Health boards through FoI request

* Numbers are small and board considers disclosure a potential risk of identifying individuals

** There were a total of 21 from 2006 to 2010 - breakdown not supplied

Powys does not have accident and emergency facilities

Figures between health boards may not be directly comparable as differing methods of compiling data have been used.

View the original article here

Parents 'want child gene tests'

18 April 2011 Last updated at 06:45 GMT Genetic tests look for increased risk of disease Parents believe the benefits of testing their children for the genetic risk of some diseases outweigh the negative consequences, according to US scientists.

In the study, published in the journal Pediatrics, parents who were offered a genetic test supported their children also being tested.

The authors say doctors and politicians need to be more aware of the issue.

Genewatch UK said children should never be tested for adult conditions.

Genetic testing used to be confined to specialist clinics, but direct-to-consumer testing is now possible.

People send a sample to a company in the post and are told if they have any genes which carry an increased risk of illness.

Genetic test

In this study, 219 parents were tested for 15 genetic variants linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and colon, skin and lung cancer.

They were then asked a series of questions to compare benefits such as reassurance, knowledge and prevention, with risks such as invasion of privacy and psychological discomfort.

The report found that "parents offered the genetic susceptibility test for common preventable conditions tended to consider that the potential benefits of this test for their own child could outweigh its risks".

Professor Kenneth Tercyak, from the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, said: "These tests usually don't offer a clean bill of health and can be hard to interpret even in the best scenario."

Helen Wallace, from genetic science lobby group Genewatch UK, said: "Online gene tests frequently give misleading results because most common conditions such as cancer, obesity or diabetes are not predicable from a person's genes, except in special circumstances.

"Children should not be tested for risk of adult-onset conditions, full stop. They should be allowed to decide for themselves, with medical advice, when they are grown up."

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, director of BMA Professional Activities, said: "We would have concerns about genetic testing being widely available over the internet or off the shelf because parents could find out results without a health professional to help intepret them. They may also find out about genetic abnormalities for which there are no cures, or be caused needless worry.

"It is important that parents who find out that their children have a genetic disposition to a particular illness, have counselling in advance so they understand the consequences of the test for their child, other children and themselves."

Prof Tercyak said: "The findings of our study should remind clinicians and policy-makers to consider children when regulating genetic tests."

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Fewer 'face child worker checks'

11 February 2011 Last updated at 08:32 GMT The government says the system of checks on child workers has become too bureaucratic Millions of people in England and Wales who work or volunteer with children and vulnerable adults will no longer need criminal record checks, ministers say.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he wanted to lift the atmosphere of suspicion and distrust cast over adults who simply wanted to help.

But some child protection campaigners fear it will be easier for adults in positions of trust to abuse children.

The change is part of the government's Freedoms Bill, being unveiled later.

It also includes limits on police stop and search powers, ends indefinite storage of innocent people's DNA and gives residents more control over CCTV.

Mr Clegg said: "Of course we need checks on those people who are working regularly with children and vulnerable adults but not everybody who is volunteering, often on an irregular basis, simply trying to help out. We want to get it into proportion.

"Most people accept we were treated with too much distrust and suspicion and too many people were almost treated as if they were criminals by Labour in recent years.

"It's still going to be a scheme of some considerable size but one which does not cast that atmosphere of distrust over adults who are simply trying to do their best by their own children, by children in their own community."

'Streamlined' The new bill calls for a merging of the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority to form "a streamlined new body providing a proportionate barring and criminal records checking service".

That body will provide what ministers say will be a more "proportionate" checking service for about 4.5m people who work "closely and regularly" with children or vulnerable adults.

Teachers will continue to be vetted - but those who do occasional, supervised volunteer work will not.

Job applicants will also be able to see the results of their criminal record check before their prospective employer so mistakes can be corrected.

And the bill promises a "portability of criminal records checks between jobs to cut down on needless bureaucracy" and to stop "employers who knowingly request criminal records checks on individuals who are not entitled to them".

'Completely wrong'

Home Secretary Theresa May suspended Labour's Vetting and Barring scheme - set up in 2009 after an inquiry into the murders of the Soham schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by school caretaker Ian Huntley - in June last year and a review was carried out.

Children's minister Tim Loughton said: "The new system will be less bureaucratic and less intimidating. It will empower organisations to ask the right questions and make all the appropriate pre-employment checks, and encourage everyone to be vigilant.

"Protecting children and keeping them safe remains our top priority, but it's also important that well meaning adults are not put off working or volunteering with children."

Children's charity Barnardo's said the move was "a victory for common sense".

Chief executive Anne Marie Carrie said: "There is already enough safeguarding in place for people who have unsupervised, substantial access to children.

"This approach will make it easier for grandparents, parents and neighbours, who should be able to play an important role in a child's life without unnecessary red tape."

However, former police detective and child protection expert Mark Williams Thomas has told the BBC he believes the changes will give offenders more opportunities to gain access to children.

"If it was about keeping children safe then this vetting scheme would continue. CRB would continue in the fashion it is," he said.

"This is simply about saving money, it's about scrapping any ideas that Labour had previously. Whoever is advising the government on this position has got it completely wrong.

"Offenders are very deviant, they're very calculated and they will seek out opportunities and they will go to where those checks don't exist."

View the original article here

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.