**4.1 Intoxication and characteristics of hospital treatment**

Time frame of intoxication (morning [6 a.m.–noon], afternoon [noon–6 p.m.], evening [6 p.m.–midnight], night [midnight–6 a.m.]), reason for hospitalization (traffic accident, other accident, aggression/violence, suicide attempt, reduced consciousness—if yes, period of unconsciousness in hours), blood alcohol concentration (BAC, grams of alcohol per liter blood), type of alcohol consumed (beer, wine, distilled spirits, premixed drinks, post mixed drinks [home-mixed or commercially mixed drinks], other), alcohol-obtaining practice (at home, from friends, supermarket, liquor store, hotel and catering industry, other), alcoholconsuming location (parents' home, adolescents' own home, friends' home, on the street, work place, at [a] school [party], public place [sports bar/canteen], commercial place [hotel and catering industry/bar/pub/discotheque], holiday, other), alcohol-consuming company (nobody, friends, parents, other relatives, strangers, other), and other (illicit) substances used (none, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines / speed, magic mushrooms, Ecstasy, other). If respondents answered "yes" to the last question, method of confirmation was recorded

A New Approach in Adolescent Alcohol Intoxication –

an emergency doctor or other specialist)


the following considerations:

**5.1 Demographic information** 

but most important subject to deal with.

Table 2. Intoxication characteristics

**5.2 Intoxication characteristics and alcohol use patterns** 

represents an alcohol consumption of about 15 units.

\* Blood Alcohol Concentration (grams of alcohol / liter blood)

coma). In 2010, one youngster stayed in a coma for 48 hours.

average of 15.7 years.

Clinical Pediatric Experience and Research Combined 221

The actual number of adolescents suffering from alcohol intoxication must be higher due to


Boys and girls are admitted with alcohol intoxication in about the same percentages (52% male vs. 48% female). However, boys generally have a higher level of blood alcohol concentration (1.87 vs. 1.69 g/L). Intoxicated girls are younger (15.3 vs. 15.7 years) and are hospitalized for shorter periods than boys. Ages range from 11 years up to 17 years, with an

The educational levels of youngsters with alcohol misuse seem to be similar to national statistics. Repeating a study year is not seen more frequently in adolescents with alcohol intoxication. In the Dutch multicultural society, the family structures and cultural and religious backgrounds in this group of patients also correspond with national statistics. The youngest child in the family is more frequently admitted with alcohol abuse (44% youngest child vs. 32% oldest child), children without siblings are relatively uncommon (7% of hospitalized patients have no siblings). These numbers show that adolescent alcohol intoxication occurs in all levels of society, making this pediatric health care issue a difficult

On average, the adolescents admitted to hospital had a blood alcohol concentration of around 1.80 g/L. Depending on age, body weight, gender, tolerance and drug use, this

Average BAC\* 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.8 Average reduced consciousness (hours) 2.2 2.9 3.1 3.1 Maximum reduced consciousness (hours) 16 24 22 48

On average, reduced consciousness lasted for two to three hours (also known as alcohol

Questionnaires on the pattern of alcohol use demonstrate that more alcohol is consumed during weekends (0-15 units a day in the weekend, vs. 0-5 units on a week day). For 30% of the patients, the alcohol consumption is their first time; the other 70% do have experience in consuming alcoholic beverages. Most often they consumed beer (59%), followed by distilled spirits. Drinking locations mainly involve a friend's (54%) or parent's home (30%), but,

2007 2008 2009 2010



(adolescents' own acknowledgment, other testimony, judgment of the pediatric doctor, laboratory values/urine, other), total time of hospitalization (days), hospital intensive care use (days), intravenous fluids (yes/no), and hospitalization aftercare (patient forwarded to any medical or aid agency).
