Every year, underage drinking accounts for 5,000 deaths in young adults under 21 in the United States. An estimated 65 percent of surveyed high school seniors who drink have admitted to getting drunk within the past month—so it's clear that underage drinking and alcohol abuse are very serious subjects.

Football season is a prime time for celebrations after games, and beer drinking can be dangerous. And as the holiday season rapidly approaches, we need to take the opportunity to educate our teenage grandchildren about the dangers of drinking.

For those of us who are parenting teen grandchildren, discussing alcohol consumption is absolutely vital. Communication and honesty with our grandkids can reduce the likelihood of drug and alcohol abuse by as much as 42 percent, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

"Discussions about alcohol should not end with one conversation," says Daryl A. Lynch, MD, FAAP, FSAHM, section chief of Adolescent Medicine at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics and professor of pediatrics at the UMKC School of Medicine. "Parents must maintain a constant discourse with their children and clearly identify the behavior they expect."

This is extremely important for grandparents who have taken on the parenting responsibility.

Everyone knows the dangers of mixing alcohol with prescription drugs or narcotics, but mixing alcohol and caffeine can't be that dangerous, right? Wrong. When energy drinks are mixed with alcohol, the stimulant properties of caffeine and other substances mask the depressant effect of alcohol. In other words, the energy drinks keep people awake and keep them drinking, increasing the likelihood of binge drinking as much as threefold.

Even as states ban alcoholic energy drinks, these beverages still pose a serious risk as long as they sit on store shelves. Be sure to educate your teens about these potentially dangerous drinks.

If you are worried that your teen might have a problem with drugs or alcohol, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics is available to help. Its Teen Clinic offers clinical and counseling services to area families with teens. The Teen Clinic is in its new location at the Children's Mercy Clinics on Broadway. For more information, call 816-234-3050.

As we approach Thanksgiving this year, let's model an attitude of gratitude for our grandchildren that will last beyond the holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your grandkids!