Does my Child have an Eating Disorder?
Can a child have an eating disorder?
Yes. Eating Disorders can be seen in children of All Ages. Children as young as kindergarten have been diagnosed with an eating disorder.
What are the signs of eating disorders in children?
Below are some common signs of eating disorders- if your child has these, this does not mean they have an eating disorder. It does mean, you should get them evaluated. This list is by no means exhaustive and is not intended to diagnose an eating disorder.
• Only eating foods they deem “healthy” or “clean”
• Avoiding all sweets (ice cream, cupcakes, candy)
• Avoiding carbs (bread, pizza, pasta)
• Not eating foods they used to love and enjoy
• Exercising more than they did before or exercising excessively
• Feeling the need to exercise even when tired or exhausted
• Being upset when exercise is not allowed or withheld
• Not wanting to eat in front of others
• Insisting they are ‘not hungry’ for dinner or that they ‘ate a big snack’ when you weren’t home
• Wearing baggy or loose-fitting clothes
• Changes in appearance (weight loss-but not always!, pale, discolored skin, dark circles under eyes, hair loss)
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Constantly feeling cold; wearing sweatshirts in hot weather
• Going to the bathroom after meals
• Using laxatives excessively
• Drinking more caffeine than normal
• Drinking more water than normal
• Chewing gum excessively
• Counting food items
• Reading nutrition labels
• Counting or tracking calories, usually on phone apps
• Having a low Heart Rate
• Falling off their growth curve
• Lack of weight gain
• Irritability
• Not wanting to interact with family or friends how they used to
• Spending more time alone in their room
• Bringing food home in their lunch box
• Finding food or wrappers in the bedroom
If your child is experiencing one or more of these signs, schedule a free consultation call so we can discuss how to help them. There are many, many more signs of eating disorders that we can discuss in our work together.
Does my child have an eating disorder?
If you have asked yourself this question, or even typed “Does my child have an eating disorder” into google, my advice is that you should trust your gut and get your child evaluated. A parent’s intuition is such a powerful force. You likely know something is wrong- you just aren’t sure exactly what- and that’s where professionals come in. We can give you answers to that question and help point you in the right direction if your child does not need eating disorder treatment. We are experts in the field and can help determine if there is depression or anxiety that is the main concern and help your child get treatment for that.
The only way to determine if your child has an eating disorder is through a thorough evaluation from a professional trained in the field of eating disorders who has the ability to diagnosis, which would be a therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist. This assessment usually takes multiple hours and covers many facets of your child’s current symptoms as well as their history and some of your family history.
There is absolutely no harm in getting your child evaluated for an eating disorder, but there is a lot of harm in ignoring the signs of an eating disorder or ignoring your parental intuition. The best chance at recovery from at eating disorder is early intervention. You would rather be too cautious, than to be too late. I know it can be nerve racking to make that first call and it can be confusing to even decide who the first call should be- just call someone. Take the first step into getting your child the help the desperately need from experts in eating disorders. Eating disorders are not something that can be treated alone. There is no parenting method that can cure an eating disorder. There is not book or blog post or Facebook group that can cure an eating disorder. While these are great resources for parents going through treatment, you need the help of licensed mental health professionals to guide you on this journey. You are the expert in your child- We are the experts on eating disorders.
Should I get my child Assessed for an eating disorder? Where do I start?
Often, parents first stop when they are concerned about their child’s eating behavior is their pediatrician. This is a logical first step and makes sense when thinking about resources available to you. Unfortunately, many pediatricians do not have training on eating disorders and do not know what to look for and could even say things that could be harmful or damaging to your sick child. Pediatricians may have had a patient with an eating disorder before, but unless they specialize in it, it is important to seek an evaluation from a ED professional. The same goes for counselors and therapist- though they are experts on mental health, there is a lack of training on eating disorders in graduate school and though they may have had a patient with an eating disorder before, they are not experts and could give advice that is harmful to your child.
What does an eating disorder assessment look like?
The Eating Disorder Assessment will take up to 2 hours and will include your child and both parents or caregivers. The therapist will ask a lot of questions of both you and your child. The therapist will gather medical history, social and developmental history as well as what has been going on recently with eating behaviors. This includes looking at family dynamics and sibling relationships, friendships, school, hobbies and sports-this is necessary to get a full picture of what is going on in your child’s life.
The therapist will assess for mental health concerns and history of treatment. They will review previous diagnosis and inquire about treatments: what was successful and what was not so helpful. This will help them to know what treatment will be the best fit for your child and family. They will also assess for suicidality and self-harm. If present, the therapist will go into further detail about keeping your child safe and next steps. They may also ask about previous trauma or abuse because these events can significantly impact eating disorders and other mental health diagnoses.
The therapist will assess food and meals-both what the child has been experiencing and the historical family culture around food and meals. They are trying to get a better picture of what intake has looked like recently and how the eating disorder has impacted the family overall. The more the clinician understands how meals look like at home, the more they can help the family to have successful Family-Based Treatment.
The therapist will assess for typical eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. This will mean asking your child about their inner voice and dialogue and how it has impacted behavior. They will also ask you about changes in behavior that you have seen recently that could be related to an eating disorder. This part might be difficult for your child, and it is very important to the assessment that your child can be honest and comfortable sharing this.
The therapist will ask about recent weight changes and other physical symptoms of an eating disorder. This section is very important, as it helps the clinician to know if immediate medical attention is necessary. Your professional may be able to help you understand if some recent physical symptoms could be related to the eating disorder. It could be helpful to bring your child’s historical growth charts from their pediatrician to help the clinician get a better picture of growth and development and assess if it has been impacted by the eating disorder.
Along with physical symptoms, your clinician will assess exercise and activity. This is important because often times, the eating disorder takes ahold of something that was once healthy (sports or exercise) and uses it only as a means to burn calories. Typically exercise is counterproductive to eating disorder treatment and may need to be temporarily paused for the sake of your child’s health.
An eating disorder evaluation is the first step on the journey to full recovery for your struggling child. Though it is a long and in depth appointment, two hours is a small picture of a long healthy future for your child. Please schedule a free consultation call to see if an eating disorder assessment is recommended for your child.
References
Lock, James, and Daniel Le Grange. Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder, Second Edition. Guilford Publications, 2015.