Most of us might be aware of the fact that alcohol affects the sanity of humans and every other living being because the body cannot take more than a certain amount of alcohol in the normal state. While it lightens the mood and creates a friendly atmosphere for many, a few drinks can cause a ruckus and may affect the lives of several others. It is important that we know our limits so that we make a conscious effort to stop our dependence on alcohol for anything other than a good time with our friends.

Children are not to take alcohol, even in permissible amounts, because this consumption could go on to affect their life in the long run. The brain is one of the organs that experience sudden changes due to the impact of alcohol, and it would be drastic for kids. Let us learn how alcohol can have an effect on the developing brain.

The Effect

Not many of us may have come across families having minors who are addicts. Plenty of children out there suffer from alcoholism and the physical effects of this addiction. The harmful impact of alcohol will be on a higher level when the person starts drinking alcohol at a young age. This early consumption of alcohol can also pose a greater risk of changes to the development of the brain. Memory and learning could get affected by this, and it may go on to cause more problems.

According to the National Health and Medical Research Council, the greatest risk is faced by children under 15. So, parents need to make sure that their children aren’t drinking alcohol at this age. Also, the safest option for people from 15 to 17 is to delay the initiation of alcohol consumption. The longest you push this further ahead in life, the better it is for your body and mind.

The brain is likely to function slowly when alcohol consumption has gone beyond a certain extent. Since all forms of concentrated alcohol are harmful to health, it is better not to take it. This depressant can affect your brain and result in:

• Confusion
• Slurred speech
• Sleep disruption
• Poor muscle control
• Poor vision and judgment
• Slower reactions
• Loss of coordination

Children can be affected by consumption, especially in brain development, until their early twenties. The problem-solving skills and performance at school are more likely to be impacted by alcohol.

It can also have potential effects on mental health, mood, and proper body functions. Heavy and extended alcohol use is associated with the reduction of the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory. The area of the brain that changes the most during teenage years is the prefrontal lobe which determines a human’s ability to plan, make decisions, judge, and control impulses. With more light being thrown on the research of treatment for alcoholism, we can hope for every alcoholic child to start a new and reformed life.