Certain brain cell malfunction, may contribute to many disorders

By Staff Writer

Many studies have shown that drinking during adolescence can hinder development. Furthermore, grades could begin to slip and depression could set in as a result. Parents are often tasked with teaching their children that consuming alcohol is against their best interests amid all the advertisements during the prime time hours of television.

However, in Belchertown, Massachusetts, one professional has taken the task of teaching both students and their parents about the dangers of underage drinking, by talking at area schools The Republican reports.

"I think a lot of parents feel that if they keep a child from driving while drunk, that is the only trouble they need to save them from. But there are more problems than that," Yvonne G. Pesce, the chief of the Juvenile Court division at the Northampton County district attorney's office, told the news source.

Surrounding school systems are engaging in talks about behaviors during and after the prom season. Many times, teens consume alcohol after these events at parties and mistakenly attempt to drive home.

According to the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 42 percent of high school students used alcohol at least once during their lifetime.