Addictions in parents
If a mother or father suffers from an addiction problem, this is not only a burden for them, but also for their children. There is also a high risk that the children will later suffer from an addiction problem themselves. There is a model project in Baden-Württemberg to deal with this issue: "SALTO".
We estimate that there are around 150,000 children under the age of 15 living in Baden-Württemberg who have at least one parent with an addiction problem.
We know that around half of these children are at risk of also developing an addiction problem later on.
For this reason, this is an issue where it is extremely important to offer help at an early stage, to practise prevention and to provide support for families in every form.
The "SALTO" project is a very important step. It is currently being organised in five cities in Baden-Württemberg, including Schorndorf.
Parents who have an addiction problem can meet regularly in groups, receive support and, above all, be empowered to fulfil their role as parents in a positive way despite their addiction problem.
It is also very important for them that this topic is not taboo. Families with such a problem should be approached about it.
The "SALTO" project is intended to help ensure that the topic of addiction in parents is discussed. Families need an open approach and often also people who can give them a little encouragement and offer them help.
Incidentally, the word "SALTO" is a so-called "acronym". The five letters of the word stand for five expressions: Sensitivity, Awakening, Loyalty, Tolerance and Openness. These are exactly the things that are important for parents suffering from addiction.
Further interesting tips
RSV
Today we're talking about a topic that is currently on everyone's lips - and not just a challenge in terms of pronunciation: We're talking about the "respiratory syncytial virus", or RS virus for short, which is keeping paediatric practices and clinics particularly busy this year.
Meningococcus I
Infections with meningococci (bacteria that can cause dangerous meningitis, for example) are fortunately very rare and fortunately we can also do a lot to prevent them with vaccinations (more on this in Part II).
Crawling
This will not be an excursion into the realm of insects, crawling is at least as big an issue for parents of small children. Two questions always take centre stage: When should a child crawl? And does a child have to crawl at all?