Abstract
The pathology and progression of alcohol use disorders in children are believed to vary considerably based on a country's social and cultural context. This context is complex and influenced by factors such as family dynamics, peer relationships, and comorbid psychiatric disorders. Although evidence-based standard treatment for alcohol use disorders in children has been partially established, its implementation varies across countries.
The patient has had an alcohol use problem since the year of 6th grade without an intervention for a few years. The patient first visited a psychiatrist for psychosis at the year of 9th grade and was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Antipsychotic medication was initiated; however, the psychosis did not improve until the patient was admitted to the psychiatric ward and stopped drinking. During hospitalization, the patient was diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder. However, the patient did not utilize social resources typically available for alcohol use disorder in adults. Consequently, her drinking behavior persisted, leading to convulsive seizures owing to alcohol withdrawal.
In this case, family therapy was introduced during second hospitalization following convulsive seizures, and the patient's alcohol use disorder improved.
Accumulating academic records of even a single case such as this case would be valuable for examining treatment methods for pediatric alcohol use disorders within the Japanese social and cultural context.
