[Children of alcoholics. Survey of 66 children of alcoholics in a child psychiatry service].

In a department of infantile psychiatry half of children have at least 1 alcoholic parent (66 over 136). We have compared 2 groups of children: one group of 66 children of alcoholics (65 alcoholic fathers 28 alcoholic mothers), and one group of children without alcoholic parent. In both group psychiatric illness is common: for children of alcoholics mental troubles needing psychiatric cares are found for 44 mothers and 20 fathers. Among children of non-alcoholic parents mental troubles are found for 19 mothers and 10 fathers. Alcoholic parents are more often divorced (21%) and only 40% are living together. Only 46.9% of children of alcoholics are bred by non-parental persons (28.5% for children of non-alcoholics). Some data (with statistical analysis) are given on children development and psychiatric symptoms. Half of 2 groups of children show mental deficiency. Among children of alcoholics character disorders and idiopathic epilepsy are more frequent. Among children of non-alcoholics cerebral damage and symptomatic epilepsy and possibly infantile psychosis are more frequent. This emphasizes evidence for many pathogenic factors and very bad milieu conditions. These offsprings of alcoholics are children at very high risk.