Does Your Teenager Have an Eating Disorder?
A Parent's Guide to Eating Behavior in Teens
Nov 23, 2008
Considering these facts from the National Association for Anorexia Nervosa Associated Eating Disorders(ANAD):
- 8,000,000 or more people in the United States have an eating disorder
- 90% are women
- Victims may be rich or poor
- Eating disorders usually start in the teens but may begin as early as age 8
parents often want to know how to identify the symptoms of eating disorders. Unfortunately teens are often able to successfully hide the serious and possibly fatal disorders from their families for months or even years. Parents should be aware of the warning signs and symptoms of eating disorders:
- Teens with anorexia nervosa often display as high achievers and perfectionists in school. They simultaneously they suffer from low self esteem with issues revolving around their body image, irrationally thinking they are fat regardless of how thin they become. The control the teen experiences by refusing the food her body demands only feeds the desire to be thinner and thinner. In this pursuit of thinness and control the body is often damaged and in some cases may lead to death.
- The symptoms of bulimia are different than the teen with anorexia nervosa.The teen will usually binge on large quantities of high calorie food and then purges her body of the huge and dreaded calories by self induced vomiting, the use of laxatives or over exercising. The binging can be then replaced with dramatic dieting resulting in severe swings in weight. Things to watch for are running water while the teen spends long periods of time in the bathroom, large portions of food gone all at once, laxative usage and weight fluctuations. Irrational desire to exercise even through an injury or illness are also red flags.
Teens with signs and symptoms of eating disorders can be treated successfully with comprehensive treatment. This usually requires a team approach such as the one used at many inpatient and intensive out patient treatment centers in the US. This approach consists of usually a primary care physician, Individual therapy, family therapy and working with a nutritionist. Many teens suffer from other problems such as depression, anxiety, and or substance abuse. These problems also need to be addressed and receive appropriate treatment.
With early identification and correct treatment the success rate is much more favorable than for adults who have suffered for decades untreated. If you suspect your teen is having difficulty with eating issues and or body image difficulties it is best to ask your family physician or pediatrician for a referral to an eating disorder treatment center that can assess the the problem and provide treatment or referrals as necessary.
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