Eating Disorders in Children and Teenagers
Healthy, good nutrition is of enormous significance for the development and health of children and teenagers. Various eating disorders, particularly at young age, may lead to severe and even destructive health effects. Early diagnosis of eating disorders in children and teenagers is important and critical and may contribute greatly to treating and preventing long-term damage.
What are eating disorders
First of all, eating disorders are a genuine disease and must be seriously treated as such. It is a mental and physical disorder that manifests in preoccupation with food and body image, reducing the consumption of food or eating episodes (ravenousness) with or without vomiting afterwards. Preoccupation with body image may also lead to increased, high-intensity physical activity, rapid weight loss, avoiding eating next to people, slow eating, playing with the food on the plate and more. In certain cases there is also a tendency of withdrawal and isolation, anxiety states and even self-injury and suicidal thoughts.
Studies show a connection between certain factors and eating disorders, including: genetics and genetic predisposition, personality, familial, social and cultural factors.
Common eating disorders
Anorexia
Girls and boys with anorexia cope with a distorted body image, restrict their caloric intake, fast or skip meals, tend to feel guilt after eating, often engage in intensive physical activity to burn off calories or misuse laxative or appetite reducing drugs.
Extreme caloric restriction may lead to hair loss, weakness to the point of fainting, impaired concentration, developmental lag, irritability, depression, cessation of menstruation in teenage girls and even death.
Bulimia
Bulima is an eating disorder in which teenagers are inclined to uncontrollable eating episodes (ravenousness) in which they eat a large amount of food quickly. The binge will usually end when there is nothing left to eat or when something or someone distracts them. The eating episode often causes nausea, abdominal pain and a feeling of guilt, leading to "a solution" of purging or cleansing the body by vomiting or increased physical activity.
Bulimia may lead to swelling of the skin of the face and throat, rotten teeth and tooth loss, termination of menstruation in girls, unstable weight (increasing and decreasing), damage to vital organs such as the liver, kidneys and heart and even death.
Eating episodes
Recurrent uncontrollable eating episodes involving large quantities of food. The episodes usually occur secretly, when the teenager is alone, far from the eyes of parents or others. They often involve feelings of guilt, but do not lead to purging actions or significant weight loss.
The signs of eating disorders in children and teenagers
Eating disorders may be complex and difficult to identify and treat in children and teenagers, but the earlier we diagnose them, the greater are the chances of recovery and returning to a normal health. As parents, it is important to pay attention to different signs our children show. It may be difficult to identify and sometimes it is hard for us to believe that our children can develop such destructive behaviors, but it is important to understand that it can happen to anyone, particularly at a young age.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has published a clinical study on the subject: identifying and coping with eating disorders in children and teenagers. The study indicated, among other things, that the mean age for the development of eating disorders is 12.5 years (in the studied population) and that most subjects demonstrated a misconception that eating disorders were a feminine phenomenon that only impacted girls and female adolescents. This perceptions impedes the assessment and treatment of eating disorders in boys and male teenagers.
Red lights that must be noticed:
Behavioral changes
- Preoccupation with body weight.
- Expressing negative emotions and severe self-criticism.
- Preoccupation with meal times and calories.
- Preoccupation with food and cooking.
- Reduced food variety.
- Low self-esteem.
- Slow, protracted eating.
- Poor mood: depression or anxiety.
- Behavioral changes.
- Isolation and withdrawal.
- Withdrawal immediately after meals.
Physical changes
- Weakness and dizziness to the point of loss of consciousness.
- Dehydration.
- Abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea.
- Rapid weight loss or gain.
- Swelling in the face and neck area.
- Low body temperature and sensitivity to cold.
- Stopping of development and hormonal changes.
- Hair plume appearing on the skin.
What we can do as parents
First and foremost, it is important to remember that we as parents and educators have a significant function in shaping our children’s self-image and body image. Today, our children are exposed to contents that we personally might not choose to show them, a glistening culture of stars and influencers and an extreme, unrealistic beauty model. It seems that we struggle to control the information and messages that our children receive, so it is important to equip them with a set of tools and values that will help them process the information that reaches them.
The more we develop an open, containing and respectful relationship with our children, the more we can be aware of and preempt dangers through openness and sharing on their part. Forming a positive atmosphere around healthy, nourishing food and around body image will help them develop positive feelings about themselves and those around them.
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1Providing healthy eating habits
It is recommended to get children involved in cooking and preparing meals, make sure to eat together and avoid criticism and judgment towards their food choices and quantities. Avoid struggles around the table and do not use encouragement or prizes for eating. You can find further information in the article: how to raise children who love eating
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2Personal example
As parents, it is important we serve an example of healthy, positive behavior on a daily basis, for instance: avoiding severe criticism of ourselves or judgment towards those around us, taking precaution with our diet and avoiding uncontrolled nutritional changes, serving as an example of self-acceptance and forming a positive body image.
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3Awareness and attention
We should take interest in the contents our children consume on social media, be aware of their behavioral changes. If they face bullying at school, we should involve the school’s counselor or child psychologist. We must not ignore worrying signs - if there is any suspicion, we should check it immediately.
Treating eating disorders
In most cases, the treatment for eating disorders in children and teenagers is a combination of nutritional and emotional therapy. After consulting a pediatrician, you will be referred to a nutritionist specializing in eating disorders and later to eating disorder treatment units of your HMO.
In severe cases that involve suicidal signs, self-injury or injury to others, you will be referred to immediate evaluation at a hospital and, if necessary, you will be referred to professional help: hospital admission or further care in an eating disorder treatment department.
The treatment of eating disorders will be adjusted to the needs and situation of each child, and will be performed by a trained multidisciplinary team. It will include regular meetings, returning to a healthy, nourishing eating routine, regaining a normal weight, reducing excessive physical activity, stopping extreme behaviors such as binge eating and vomiting, and so on.
The attending staff in eating disorder treatment units consist of nutrition, psychiatry, mental health and occupational therapy teams and social workers.
