Drunkenness Facts for Kids

Drunkenness

Drunkenness means a person is intoxicated by alcohol. This happens when someone drinks too much alcohol. It means their brain and body are not working normally. A person who is intoxicated is often called drunk.

The way a person is affected depends on how much alcohol they have had.

How Alcohol Affects the Body
Understanding Alcohol Poisoning
- Signs of Alcohol Poisoning
- What to Do in an Emergency
Common Myths About Drunkenness
Related Information
Images for kids
See also

How Alcohol Affects the Body

Alcohol changes how the mind and body work.

Small Amounts of Alcohol

Even a small amount of alcohol can slow down the brain. It starts to affect a person's ability to make good decisions. It also makes a person react more slowly. Their reflexes become slower. This is why it is not safe to drive even after drinking just a little.

Medium Amounts of Alcohol

If someone drinks a medium amount of alcohol, they will have trouble speaking clearly. They may also have difficulty moving their body normally. A person might struggle to stay balanced and walk straight. They could become confused or very tired. They will not be able to make good choices. They might also start vomiting.

Dangerous Amounts of Alcohol

When a person drinks a very dangerous amount of alcohol, they can get something called alcohol poisoning.

Understanding Alcohol Poisoning

Alcohol poisoning is a very serious medical emergency. It means a person has drunk so much alcohol that it can cause a coma. It can also make their breathing dangerously slow. In some cases, it can even lead to death. Someone with alcohol poisoning needs emergency medical help right away. They need to go to a hospital to make sure they do not die.

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning

Here are some important signs and symptoms of alcohol poisoning:

Being very confused or almost unconscious (passed out).
Going into a coma (a deep, unresponsive sleep).
Vomiting while in a coma. If this happens, the person can breathe the vomit into their lungs. This can badly injure the lungs and can be deadly.
Very slow breathing. If a person's breathing gets too slow, they can stop breathing completely.
Very slow heart rate.
Seizures (uncontrolled shaking of the body).
Low body temperature.
If the person wakes up, they might not remember what happened. This is often called a "blackout."

What to Do in an Emergency

If someone has alcohol poisoning, you should call 9-1-1 or your local emergency telephone number right away. First aid can help the person until an ambulance arrives.

Laying a person on their side can help prevent them from choking if they vomit.

A first aider SHOULD:

Lay the person down and try to keep them still.
Turn the person onto their side. This helps if they vomit.
Cover them with a blanket to keep them warm.
If the person has a seizure, do not try to hold them still. Try to keep them from hitting their head.
If the person's heart stops, start CPR. An emergency medical dispatcher can tell you how to do this.

A first aider should NOT:

Leave the person alone.
Give them anything to eat or drink.
Give the person any medications or illegal drugs.
Try to make them throw up.
Put the person in a cold shower or bath.
Make the person walk. Walking is not safe for someone with alcohol poisoning.

Common Myths About Drunkenness

There are many myths (untrue beliefs) about being drunk. Here are some examples:

Some people believe they can drive safely even when they are drunk. This is not true and is very dangerous.
Drinking coffee will not make a person less drunk.
Taking a cold shower or bath will not make a person less drunk.
Some types of alcohol do not make a person more drunk than others. The amount of pure alcohol in a drink is what matters.

Related Information

Images for kids

Stage Three of the Five stages of inebriation, ca.1863–1868, by Charles Percy Pickering
Ethanol binding to GABAA receptor
A 1936 anti-drinking poster by Aart van Dobbenburgh.