Ten-year-olds drinking alcohol in Southampton

5:29pm Tuesday 16th November 2010 in News Photograph of the Author By Melanie Adams, Health Reporter

Ten-year-olds drinking alcohol in Southampton Ten-year-olds drinking alcohol in Southampton

CHILDREN as young as ten are being rushed into hospital after boozing on alcohol.

Doctors say the problem has got so bad that many youngsters are being taken into casualty unconscious, with some left fighting for their lives in intensive care.

As the shocking extent of the city’s drink problem is laid bare, figures reveal more than 100 children a year aged under 16 are being treated in hospital for alcoholic-related problems.

Southampton has become one of the worst places in the country for under-age boozing, with more than ten per cent of schoolchildren experimenting with drink and drugs.

For a video of the top stories in today's Daily Echo, click the front page.

NHS Southampton City ranks as having one of the highest hospital admissions of under-18s with alcohol-related issues, coming 145th out of 152 primary care trusts in England in research by the North West Public Health Observatory.

Southampton General Hospital’s emergency wards are dealing with nine youngsters a month who are risking their lives by binge-drinking on beers, wines and spirits.

Dr Sarah Robinson, consultant in emergency medicine, sees the alarming scale of the problem on a daily basis. She told the Daily Echo: “We are definitely seeing more young people coming to the emergency department because they have drunk too much – and they are getting younger.

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“It is predominantly the 15 and 16-year-olds but more and more we are seeing 11 and 12- year-olds and during the summer holidays we had a tenyear- old who was brought in very drunk. It is a new phenomena and it is a huge concern for us because we know the dangers but unfortunately young people are continuing to risk their lives in this way.”

Figures from the 2009 Tellus4 survey highlighted Southampton as an under-age drinking hotspot, revealing 10.7 per cent of schoolchildren were experimenting with drugs and alcohol.

This puts Southampton above the national average and the regional south-east average of 9.8 per cent, making the city the worst in the region.

Dr Robinson added: “At one end of the scale we have those who come in with broken bones after falling over drunk and at the other end we have those who are deeply unconscious, which can be lifethreatening.

It can be as serious as that.”

Drive to fight the problem

IN a bid to curb under-age drinking, health bosses have launched a free support line for parents worried about children’s drinking habits.

Young people can also get free support and confidential counselling at the city’s DASH service. Dr Andrew Mortimore, pictured, director of public health for Southampton, said: “Alcohol use among those under 18 is an issue which NHS Southampton City takes very seriously and clearly when it occurs among children it is very alarming.

“Together with Southampton City Council, NHS Southampton City is working on a series of preventative measures to not only reduce the number of emergency admissions in those under 18, but to combat the trend in under-age alcohol use.

“Outreach workers also visit schools to educate young people about the harmful effects of alcohol and how to keep themselves safe.

Through this we hope to reduce the damage caused by alcohol to young people in our city.”

■ Parents can call the free support line on 023 8039 9764.

For the city’s DASH services call 023 8022 4224 or email ask@dash southampton.co.uk.

Comments(26)

Poppy22 says...
5:42pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Shame some of us adults don't have as much spare cash as some of these children obviously have! Lack of parental control - as always! Why do the parents of these children have children anyway - oh, forgot, it's so they can collect as many benefits as possible (or, if they're better off, presumably the parents kick their children out onto the streets so they can have some "me" time).

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Elgy says...
5:57pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Sorry but about 10% of schoolchildren 'experimenting' with drink and drugs? All the ones I know of are routine users! 10?% is probably quite good! Blame the parents. Also I find it strange that Labour never took the opportunity to ban drinking while they were at it banning everything else.

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teamgreen says...
6:25pm Tue 16 Nov 10

thats right every night we have to hear the shouting etc and no-one wants to do any thing.the police come around and the kids hide the stuff.where i live one of the dads buys beer and fags for the little darlings and hangs around with them.he's late 30's the kids are 10- 15 years old.but they dont hang around outside there own houses because it annoys there own parents so the parents send them around the corner for me to put up with.

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Hantslad says...
7:34pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Should the parents not be held to account for this? If the child ends up in A&E why not make the parents pay for the costs, this way it would save the tax payers forking out for irresponsible parenting.

Surely, it's about time we stopped this nanny state which Gordon Brown created and make people accountable for their children. If you breed, then you should look after your offspring and stop relying on everyone else to bail out the failure at being a parent.

One thing that will make irresponsible parents think is hitting them in the pocket, that way even the parents can't afford to buy alcohol and then maybe they will be sober enough to know where the children are?

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Reality-man says...
7:35pm Tue 16 Nov 10

'As young as 10'????? Outrageous!! I was on the drink at 7

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hythe knights says...
7:59pm Tue 16 Nov 10

This just goes to show the state of society and I wish the goverment could stop some of these people from breeding the next generation of scum.

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Hantslad says...
8:13pm Tue 16 Nov 10

hythe knights wrote:
This just goes to show the state of society and I wish the goverment could stop some of these people from breeding the next generation of scum.
I have to admit, Hythe is one of the worst places for underage drinking, Just commenting based on your username.

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Condor Man says...
8:31pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Why is it the council's responsibility to stop kids drinking? When does a parent stop being a parent?

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a and e says...
8:41pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Elgy wrote:
Sorry but about 10% of schoolchildren 'experimenting' with drink and drugs? All the ones I know of are routine users! 10?% is probably quite good! Blame the parents. Also I find it strange that Labour never took the opportunity to ban drinking while they were at it banning everything else.
check out the frankfurt school ,the nu liebour marxists plans for the collapse of the uk , hoodie chavs waring against civillians promotes martial law in the long run , drunkeness is a main plank of the frankfurt schools agenda.

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Condor Man says...
8:46pm Tue 16 Nov 10

a and e wrote:
Elgy wrote: Sorry but about 10% of schoolchildren 'experimenting' with drink and drugs? All the ones I know of are routine users! 10?% is probably quite good! Blame the parents. Also I find it strange that Labour never took the opportunity to ban drinking while they were at it banning everything else.
check out the frankfurt school ,the nu liebour marxists plans for the collapse of the uk , hoodie chavs waring against civillians promotes martial law in the long run , drunkeness is a main plank of the frankfurt schools agenda.
A mate of mine is a community worker on a local estate, he said he's ban alcohol above any other drug for the damage it causes to lives.

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bucktoom says...
9:06pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Frankly, if the parents (and indeed wider society) set a better example; maybe the kids wouldnt be so desperate to get 'out of their heads' and see what all the fuss is about with the adults. They look at what we do in wonderment and how attractive it must seem to try something so cheap, easy to obtain, and it transforms you into such a funny, popular person! Lets face it being selfish and aggressive are seen as qualities by many :(

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bucktoom says...
9:06pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Frankly, if the parents (and indeed wider society) set a better example; maybe the kids wouldnt be so desperate to get 'out of their heads' and see what all the fuss is about with the adults. They look at what we do in wonderment and how attractive it must seem to try something so cheap, easy to obtain, and it transforms you into such a funny, popular person! Lets face it being selfish and aggressive are seen as qualities by many :(

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Linesman says...
9:07pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Rickets!

Booze!

Drugs!

What next?

VD & Aids?

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Reality-man says...
9:19pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Linesman wrote:
Rickets! Booze! Drugs! What next? VD & Aids?
A desire to support Pompey? I mean you can't get any lower than that!

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Family Bloke says...
9:24pm Tue 16 Nov 10

As I child of 12/13 I used to drink before youth club on a Friday night, as did my mates, I'm not proud of it, but it went on back in the late 70's

Alcohol was not as readily available then, the media didn't cover stories like this then, but it's nothing new, just publicised more these days, the problem will only get worse until you stop selling beer in nearly every shop, the youngsters who don't buy it are nicking it or getting their older to mates to buy for them, if it wasn't there they wouldn't be able to do either

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Family Bloke says...
9:28pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Reality-man wrote:
Linesman wrote:
Rickets! Booze! Drugs! What next? VD & Aids?
A desire to support Pompey? I mean you can't get any lower than that!
You can,

Getting your kids to support them as well, now that's lower than a snake's belly

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arthur boutfaith says...
9:32pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Linesman wrote:
Rickets!

Booze!

Drugs!

What next?

VD & Aids?
What a great night out !

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Hantslad says...
9:36pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Lets not bring football into this, we all know that is a drunken yobs sport......

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Family Bloke says...
10:01pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Hantslad wrote:
Lets not bring football into this, we all know that is a drunken yobs sport......
Pompey is not bringing football into anything, because they can't play it

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BMWDelboy says...
10:22pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Hantslad wrote:
hythe knights wrote:
This just goes to show the state of society and I wish the goverment could stop some of these people from breeding the next generation of scum.
I have to admit, Hythe is one of the worst places for underage drinking, Just commenting based on your username.
How would you know that Hantslad, been on the ferry ?... I live on the Waterside / Hythe area, and believe me those days are over - Pubwatch, CCTV and more responsible landlords, unless you know more than me ?

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arthur boutfaith says...
11:29pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Hantslad wrote:
Lets not bring football into this, we all know that is a drunken yobs sport......
......... that's why kids are always playing it.

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freefinker says...
11:51pm Tue 16 Nov 10

Condor Man wrote:
a and e wrote:
Elgy wrote: Sorry but about 10% of schoolchildren 'experimenting' with drink and drugs? All the ones I know of are routine users! 10?% is probably quite good! Blame the parents. Also I find it strange that Labour never took the opportunity to ban drinking while they were at it banning everything else.
check out the frankfurt school ,the nu liebour marxists plans for the collapse of the uk , hoodie chavs waring against civillians promotes martial law in the long run , drunkeness is a main plank of the frankfurt schools agenda.
A mate of mine is a community worker on a local estate, he said he's ban alcohol above any other drug for the damage it causes to lives.
.. I hope you will now tell your man Cameron that you now agree with Professor David Nutt - and campaign to get him reinstated as chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.

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Spot O'Bother says...
4:49am Wed 17 Nov 10

So 90% are not experimenting with drink & drugs then.

100 a year doesn't seem too many. I'm pretty sure that there are a lot more than 100 a year below the age of 16 having a drink.

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davesbabe says...
9:36am Wed 17 Nov 10

this problem is ultimately down to parents and support for parents, there just isnt enough support for some parents, i have 4 children aged 5 to 12 and i know where each and every one of them is all the time, my husband and i are strict but fair, my eldest child is allowed to go out with her friends and go to the cinema as long as she gets a lift there and back, there are ways to make sure your children have freedom and make sure they know the dangers,my daughter does and she would not dare to drink, smoke or take drugs, as i told her i would take her to the police and she knows it too, some parents just dont care about their kids and as long as theyre out of sight out of mind they dont care, these parents should be charged with neglect, these kids didnt ask to be bought into the world, they learn from peers and parents and its up to the parents to teach them right from wrong, i do understand that you do get the bad apple child now and again when nothing you do makes any difference but parents need to have more control over their kids ultimately!!

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jimbobbo says...
1:09pm Wed 17 Nov 10

Reeeey. Our future heritage appears to be training themselves well.

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wilson castaway says...
1:20pm Wed 17 Nov 10

I work in a shop and we recently barred several adults we know who were buying alcohol for underage children.One was the mother of one of the kids .The police were informed and I belive action was taken.When an adult buys alcohol for persons underage it also puts the shop at risk from losing thier alcohol licence and could result in people losing thier jobs.In any shop, alcohol takes the majority of sales.If the police and council belive there is a problem the license could be revoked.

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