By Staff
It may be too late to wait until your children are in middle school to talk to them about alcohol dangers.
A recent study found 7 percent of fourth graders said they have had an alcoholic drink in the past year.
Ten percent had more than a sip of alcohol at least once in their lives.
That's according to a study published in the September issue of "Prevention Science" by John Donovan, an associate professor of psychiatry and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Researchers concluded after reviewing several surveys that the largest surge in underage alcohol use occurs between fifth and sixth grade.
As Donovan told USA Today, "There is a fairly sizable amount of literature showing that the earlier people start to drink, or even have their first drink, the more likely they are to have problems later in life with alcohol."
Not to mention drugs, delinquency, motor vehicle accidents and risky sexual behavior.