Around 9 p.m. on the 12th, a middle-aged man rushed into the emergency department of Wuhan First Hospital carrying a boy in his teens. Before attending physician Liu Lin could approach, he detected a strong odor of alcohol. The boy's face was flushed crimson, and he remained unresponsive despite attempts to rouse him—highly indicative of acute alcohol poisoning. After emergency emesis and intravenous fluid therapy, the boy slowly regained consciousness around 2 a.m.
The mother accompanying him explained that her son Huanhuan, aged 13, had attended a farewell dinner that evening for an aunt returning to Wuhan from abroad for the New Year. To test his son's tolerance, father Mr. Wang poured Huanhuan a glass of baijiu—about 2 ounces. Shortly after drinking it, Huanhuan fell asleep.Initially, no one thought much of it. Only after the banquet ended did they discover the child's body was burning hot and he could not be roused.
"Many parents mistakenly believe it's harmless to let children take a small sip of alcohol or dab a bit on their lips with chopsticks. In reality, this behavior is extremely dangerous," pointed out Liu Lin. Alcohol causes far greater harm to children than to adults.She explained that children, being in a growth and development phase, have underdeveloped livers and incomplete metabolic functions. Their tolerance and ability to break down ethanol are poor, meaning even low-proof alcohol can easily accumulate in their bodies and cause poisoning. Particularly, children's underdeveloped nervous systems make them more sensitive to alcohol's toxicity, potentially leading to brain damage, seizures, or even life-threatening conditions.
Liu Lin reminded the public that China's Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Alcohol Poisoning specifies the lethal dose for adults as 250-500 grams, approximately 25 grams for children, and a mere 6-10 grams for infants—all of which can cause irreversible consequences.
Further Reading: Additional Hazards of Underage Drinking
Minors struggle to control their drinking habits. Once addicted, they often fail to recognize their dependency, let alone quit.Once minors develop dependence on alcohol, it can cause immeasurable damage to all bodily functions!
Impacts Physical Development and Increases Susceptibility to Disease
Minors are in a critical stage of growth and development, with immature organs—particularly a delicate digestive system that is highly sensitive to external irritants. They cannot tolerate excessive exposure to irritants like alcohol.
Alcohol, with its pronounced irritant properties, directly damages organs like the liver and stomach. It not only irritates the gastric mucosa, disrupting gastric acid and enzyme secretion to cause indigestion, but also causes vascular congestion and damage, leading to gastritis and gastric ulcers. In some cases, it can trigger acute pancreatitis.
After being absorbed by the body, alcohol is primarily detoxified by the liver. However, adolescents' liver cells are not fully differentiated, making them susceptible to liver and spleen enlargement from alcohol consumption. This can elevate levels of bilirubin, transaminases, and alkaline phosphatase in the blood, impairing liver function.
Damage to the Brain and Impact on Learning
As a psychoactive substance, alcohol strongly stimulates the heart, brain, and blood vessels, adversely affecting the nervous system.
Lowered Immunity
Underage drinking weakens immunity. Alcohol dilates capillaries, increases heat loss, and reduces resistance, making individuals more susceptible to colds, pneumonia, and other illnesses.
Alcohol alters children's personalities
It also affects minors' emotions and temperament, making them prone to irritability, stubbornness, and mood swings. Over time, this can cause personality defects in adolescents during their formative years.
Developing Bad Habits
The craving for alcohol can easily lead minors to adopt harmful habits like laziness, poor hygiene, and a lack of responsibility. Under the influence of alcohol, individuals may become agitated and lose mental clarity.