Nutritional neglect and physical abuse in children of alcoholics.

OBJECTIVE

Children of alcoholics are at higher risk for physical injuries and malnutrition. In this study nutritional neglect and physical abuse in children of alcoholics has been compared with children of non-alcoholics in a General Hospital attached to a Medical College.

METHODS

72 children of alcoholics were compared with 81 normal controls. 86.1% in case group and 49.4% in control group had malnourishment of various grades.

RESULTS

45% of the children of alcoholics had physical injuries in contrast to 23.4% of children of non-alcoholics. Malnutrition co-existed in almost all injured children of alcoholics.

CONCLUSION

Alcoholism in parents of malnourished and injured children are frequently ignored in routine clinical evaluation. If the risk children are identified early some of the morbidity can be avoided.