One child under 8 a month is admitted to hospital because of Alcohol - Randerson

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 16th Apr 2008

Jenny Randerson AM has revealed scandalous figures showing the number of chidren under the age of 8 admitted to hospital through alcohol

Welsh Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Jenny Randerson AM today revealed shocking figures showing that 76 children below the age of eight have been admitted to hospital because of alcohol consumption in the last seven years for which figures are available, amounting to almost one a month. The research followed recent figures uncovered by Ms Randerson showing that every day an average of one child under the age of 16 is admitted to hospital through alcohol consumption.

Jenny Randerson revealed the figures during questions to the Education Minister in which she challenged her to urgently improve education on the dangers of alcohol for very young children.

Jenny Randerson said: "Many people were shocked when we revealed the number of children under 16 who were hospitalised, but this figure is truly disturbing. These are children who are seven years old at the very most, getting so drunk, their lives are in danger in both the long and short term."

"The Government is failing to stop children getting drunk, despite massive work by the police and Local Councils to stop the supply of alcohol to children from shops. I today called on the Education Minister to find an urgent way forward to improve education of children about the dangers of alcohol. If they do not, they are contributing to massive risks to children's health and even to their lives."

Notes:

The figures supplied by the NHS show that 76 children under the age of eight were admitted to hospital between 2000 and 2006 with admission codes linked to alcohol including: Toxic effect of alcohol, alcohol use, accidental alcohol poisoning and mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol.

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