SIGNS POINT TO TEEN DRUG, ALCOHOL ABUSE

Experts say the warning signs are there. It's just a matter of
parents being able to spot them.

''There are three things you've got to do as a parent: You have to
have a relationship, set rules and be a role model for them,'' said
Dr. Kevin Turner, a psychologist with the Medical College of Georgia.
''You've got to know what's going on with them.''

Experts say there are several key warning signs along a teen's path
to alcoholism and drug abuse.

In affluent areas, such as the eastern end of Columbia County,
experts say the trail could begin and end with cash flow.

''Watch where their money's coming from and where it's going,'' said
the Rev. Stanley Roat, the co-director of Pastoral Care Associates,
an area counseling center for families.

Another - and perhaps the most noticeable - sign of alcohol and drug
abuse in teensis a drop in their academic performance.

''This is one of the first signs a teen-ager is in trouble,'' Dr. Turner says.

Typically, teens who have an addiction problem try extremely hard to
keep their grades up to prevent their parents from noticing something
is wrong.

Other signs are more subtle and could be confused with the stages of
adolescence, including a change in their friends and changes in their
patterns of behavior.

''If your 16-year-old starts to answer everything in single
syllables, grunts and makes no eye contact, it's worth checking
out,'' Dr. Turner said.

Dr. Turner warns parents not to look for any one particular warning
sign. A combination of several, he says, should warrant suspicion.

Mood swings are typical during the teen-age years, psychologists say.
But, if your teens are experiencing violent or dramatic changes in
their behavior, exhibiting erratic sleep patterns or a loss of
interest in usual activities, or becoming withdrawn and very
secretive about what's going on in their lives, check it out.

Dr. Turner said having a relationship with your teen is key. He said
parents often ask ''How can I have a relationship with a kid that
sleeps all day? How can I supervise him when most of his waking hours
are when I'm asleep?''

Dr. Turner said that's why it's imperative to set rules for teens. If
teens are required to follow certain rules that keep them functioning
during the daylight hours, then their schedule is more likely to
coincide with parents' and it's easier to monitor their activities.

But the strongest and most precious advice experts give parents is:
Don't underestimate your teen.

Age is no longer a determining factor in what a child or teen-ager
knows. In the sea of modern technology, teens are drowning in
television, computers and other resources; children have a vast bank
to gather knowledge, and they are taking advantage of it.

Parents should assume that by age 11 their child has been exposed to
drugs and alcohol, the Rev. Roat said.

''Don't assume that they don't know what's going on,'' he said. ''It
happens at a lot younger age than parents would like to believe.''