Children of Alcoholics

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, approximately 43% of all children in the United States are exposed to someone with alcoholism while growing up, and one in four children is exposed to alcohol abuse and/or dependence in the family at some point before the age of 18. The alcoholic family environment is often characterized by disruption and instability, inadequate supervision and parenting, and dysfunctional parent-child relationships. This type of developmental chaos undermines healthy and normal childhood development and puts children at risk for a wide range of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems. According to the National Association for Children of Alcoholics, these problems are often seen in children from alcoholic homes who exhibit more symptoms of depression and anxiety, experience greater ...