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Alcoholism is a major health problem in Spain. Frequently, the first drink is offered in the home. We report the results of a poll in which parents were asked when they offer alcohol to their children. We found that 76.1% offered alcohol anytime. Furthermore, 15% of the mothers answered that this may be of benefit to their children. Drinks with a higher level of alcohol (brandy, punch, anis) were offered more frequently after seven years of age and to those children whose mother had offered the first alcoholic beverage at an earlier age.

In order to know the importance and epidemiology of childhood accidents, a prospective study was made in a Spanish region, this study was founded in death certificates and 3,344 questionnaires from children under 7 years old, accidented in 1986 and attended in emergency departments in our region. The information was coded and analysed by computer of the Murcia University. Accidents are the main cause of death in children aged over 1 year, as a common cause of assistance in emergency departments. Its characteristic are common to most countries, but the authors find some differences in our region. It is necessary to dedicate bigger effort to study and prevention of childhood accidents.