Physical & Emotional Abuse Support Group
Abuse is a general term for the treatment of someone that causes some kind of harm (to the abused person, to the abusers themselves, or to someone else) that is unlawful or wrongful. No one deserves abuse, period. Abuse can be emotional, physical, or sexual.
I have 5 siblings at home. Both my parents are alcoholics who don't see the problem with the drinking. My mom decided last night to give my 1 year old sister a drink of alcohol because she was thirsty. She then went to my dad who had a beer in his hand and she started saying drink, drink, drink. This is the second time it's happened and it's heartbreaking to watch.
I understand and have
all kinds of compassion
for your fears.
As I said in my first response,
I know that technically, you're
still a child. And I also know
that you're one birthday away
from official "adulthood."
Your parents are the ones
responsible for your younger
siblings, your one year-old
baby sister. But instead of
being responsible guardians,
they are the ones endangering
her life. We're not being dramatic
here. Feeding alcohol to a baby
could be fatally toxic. It could
kill her.
Here's some info about alcohol and children
from a health information site:
Why children are more vulnerable
The ability of children younger than five years to metabolise alcohol is limited, due to the immature enzyme activity in the liver, Loftus says. But after the age of 14 years, the rate of blood alcohol concentration decline is the same as in adults.
However, other factors put babies and children at even greater risk. They get hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) more easily when theres alcohol in their systems, as well as hypothermia (low body temperature), and can also fall into a coma more easily. These three conditions usually occur when the BAC of a child exceeds 0,05 0,10g%. In addition, there is dehydration, and the nausea, vomiting and breathing difficulties common amongst all intoxicated individuals.
Loftus explains that low blood sugar occurs because alcohol inhibits glucose production. The drinking of alcohol also affects the glycogen (the main form in which carbohydrates are stored) stores in the livers of young children. Low body temperature is the result of exposure and the dilation of the peripheral blood vessels.
In children suffering from malnutrition, or in children who havent eaten for several hours, the risk increases. If Candice was undernourished and dehydrated at the time she drank the pineapple beer, she would have been affected sooner. A relatively small amount of alcohol (30 - 60ml) could be a lethal dose, Loftus says.
Acute alcohol intoxication in infants and toddlers is usually accidental, and may include ingestion of an ethanol-containing substance such as perfume, or over-the-counter medication. Other substances in the ingested fluid may also have additional toxic effects.
Sweetie . . . . .
You shouldn't have to be responsible
for the safety of your baby sister.
But. . . . . tragically. . . . . you
may have to be. If your parents'
abuse and neglect ended up
causing your sister to suffer
injury or possibly death, I'm
so afraid that you would
regret for the remainder
of your life, that you wanted
to do something, but didn't
reach anyone who could
help, or that you reached
them too late.
Please, talk to someone
at your church, your school,
your doctor or on the other
end of that phone number.
Please, Hon. I don't want
you to ever feel regret for
a situation you were only
witness to and not responsible
for. It's not fair to have to
ask this of you. But you
may be the only responsible
connection to your little sister.
so it's hard to answer that
question. Sometimes
social services can be
a slippery slope. But
when a baby is in the
kind of danger described
here, that slippery slope
may be a chute to safety.)
violet -----
When you're 18, you're considered
and adult. You have both the rights
and also responsibilities of an adult
(even though you may not yet, actually
feel like one).
You sound mature for your age,
which is often a result of growing
up in an alcoholic household,
where adults are consistently
IRresponsible. Children are
robbed of their childhood, and
(particularly the oldest child),
are forced to assume the
responsibilities that were
abdicated by the parents
who were supposed to be
responsible, but were
using substances and
weren't responsible.
So, violet. . . . I was
saying that since you're
precosciously mature
(having had to grow up
in a hurry), and you're
obviously both articulate
and very intelligent, at
eighteen (or even before!),
you may need to be the
one to step up and help
protect your younger siblings.
That's what
SOCIAL SERVICES
are there for.
YOU CAN NOT
PREVENT YOUR
PARENTS FROM
HURTING YOUR
SIBLINGS, OR WORSE.
As well intended as you
are, YOU CANNOT
KEEP YOUR PARENTS
from hurting them.
All of us here are
sad for you and
your siblings.
We hope that
you will reach
out to a responsible
adult on the ground,
where you are. You
are too young to keep
your siblings safe,
and no one here
in ether-land can
do it for you.
Sending you love
and prayers for
the safety of
your family.
They won't listen to you!