[Alcohol use in children: An unrecognized fact].

Although drinking problems are now well documented in adolescents and young people, few data are available on alcohol use in children younger than 12. In France, studies have shown that 60-70% of 11-year-olds reported having tasted alcohol drinks, 4-7% having experienced drunkenness at least once, and that 5-8% might be regarded as "regular" alcohol users. By comparison, the prevalence of child drinking in the United States seems to be lower. All studies show that parental alcohol-specific attitudes and parental educational practices have a strong influence on the initiation of alcohol use in children. Some of them also indicate that early-onset drinking in children may be related to psychosocial functioning in other life areas, such as problem behaviors, low school engagement, and poor relationships with parents, in association with temperamental and environmental risk factors similar to those described in substance use disorders. Since epidemiological studies showed that early initiation of alcohol use is linked to later alcohol-related problems, these data call for further attention to children's perceptions and attitudes with respect to alcohol in research to prevent alcohol misuse.