Shock rise in binge drinking children taken to A&E

​HOSPITAL doctors are treating an increasing number of children across East Yorkshire for alcohol abuse.
The Mail can reveal the number of drunk youngsters being admitted to hospital is on the rise.
Of the 133 children attending Hull Royal Infirmary with drink-related problems last year, 130 were suffering from acute alcohol intoxication.
One girl had alcohol withdrawal symptoms and two boys were diagnosed with alcoholism.
A boy treated for alcohol poisoning was just four years old. However, the circumstances of his admission to hospital have not been made clear.
Now, police, health workers and alcohol treatment charities have all spoken of their concern over the growing issue.
Chris Sorek, chief executive of alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware, said the increase was worrying.
He said: "Any child requiring hospital treatment for alcohol-related illness is a cause for great concern, not just because of the short-term risks associated with underage drinking, such as accidents, but also the long-term risks, such as disrupted brain development.
"It is vital that young people know the facts about alcohol and parents are in the best position to give them that information."
New figures show 133 people under the age of 18 received treatment for alcohol abuse at Hull Royal Infirmary's A&E department last year. It compares with 111 the previous year.
The new figures also include a boy aged 12. Five 13-year-old boys were also admitted.
Two girls attending A&E were 12 years old and nine girls were aged 13.
Chief Inspector Dave Rawding, of Hull's Neighbourhood Policing team, said drunk children posed a great risk to themselves.
He said: "For a number of years, we have seen incidents of young people drinking alcohol increasing.
"Their ability to look after themselves when they are drunk is impaired. This is the biggest risk.
"Every year in this country, there are young people who are subject to serious offences because they have not been capable of protecting themselves."
The figures obtained by the Mail reveal girls were more likely to be admitted for alcohol overdoses than boys, numbering 70 last year, up from 59 the previous year.
The number of boys treated last year was 63, up from 52 the year before.
Laura Starky, service manager at Refresh, Hull's drug and alcohol service for young people, said binge drinking was a key issue.
She said: "A lot of what we do is tackling problems with alcohol.
"If we take a sample quarter of our year, in which we supported 91 young people, 27 of them said alcohol was their primary problem drug and it was a secondary problem for many others.
"We are certainly seeing 16-year-olds who have started to develop some signs of psychological dependance on alcohol.
"Research has shown drinking in young people can be a predictor for having problems with alcohol in later, adult life."

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