| Eating disorders also called is Anorexia | | | | cycles) or delayed onset of puberty and |
| nervosa and Bulimia. Eating disorders is | | | | menarche. Parents may first suspect a problem |
| important to recognize that each factor plays | | | | when they discover large amounts of food are |
| a role in predisposing, precipitating, or | | | | missing from the pantry or the refrigerator, |
| perpetuating the problem. Anorexia nervosa | | | | though it's hard to imagine one child could |
| compulsive eating are the most common among | | | | have eaten so much. Mothers with eating |
| such young children, but there are cases of | | | | disorders may have a difficult time feeding |
| bulimia being reported. It is usually begins | | | | their infants and young children and will |
| at the age of fourteen or fifteen, with | | | | further effect the child. Often the family |
| another peak in incidence in eighteen year | | | | environment will be less cohesive, more |
| olds. It is estimated that 40% of nine year | | | | conflicted, and less supportive. People with |
| olds have already dieted and we are beginning | | | | bulimia may be anywhere from underweight, to |
| to see four and five year olds expressing the | | | | normal weight, to overweight. It is estimated |
| need to diet. It's a shame that children so | | | | that as much as 3% of college-aged women have |
| young are being robbed of their childhoods. | | | | bulimia. Other signs found in teens with |
| Children raised in a dysfunctional family are | | | | eating disorders include having dry and |
| at a higher risk for developing an eating | | | | brittle hair, losing hair, and having muscle |
| disorder. In a home where physical or abuse | | | | wasting. |
| is taking place, the child may turn to an | | | | |
| eating disorder to gain a sense of control. | | | | Treatment of eating disorders is slow and |
| Children may also develop eating disorders as | | | | difficult (and sometimes requires |
| a way of dealing with the many emotions that | | | | hospitalization) and should be overseen by a |
| they feel, especially if they are raised in a | | | | mental health. Exercise is also an important |
| home that does not allow feelings to be | | | | part of everyone's life and we need to help |
| expressed. Children who are compulsive eaters | | | | our children become involved in physical |
| are usually using food to help them deal with | | | | activity. Patients with anorexia also require |
| feelings of anger, sadness, hurt, loneliness, | | | | nutritional and medical intervention to make |
| abandonment, fear and pain. There are many | | | | dietary. Do not criticize your own or your |
| serious complications of anorexia, including | | | | child's weight, shape or size. Different |
| fainting from low blood pressure, electrolyte | | | | types of therapy can help treat binge eating |
| disorders, being intolerant to cold, | | | | disorder. For example, family therapy and |
| constipation, decreased energy, changes in | | | | cognitive behavioral therapy teach people |
| mood, anemia, kidney failure and osteoporosis | | | | techniques to monitor and change their eating |
| (brittle bones). | | | | habits and the way they respond to stress. |
| | | | Family therapy includes the whole family in |
| Eating disorders can cause heart and kidney | | | | the process of helping the individual. |
| problems and even death. Genetic attributes | | | | Cognitive-behavioral therapy combines the |
| and it is more common in children who have a | | | | approach of helping the individual change |
| first-degree relative with an eating | | | | their self-defeating thoughts with changing |
| disorder. Children are at a risk for | | | | their behavior. Counseling also helps |
| developing an eating disorder if the parents | | | | patients look at relationships they have with |
| themselves are to preoccupied with appearance | | | | others and helps them work on areas that |
| and weight. Eating disorder risk factors is | | | | cause them anxiety. Weight-control programs |
| purging behaviors (vomiting or using | | | | are helpful for some people affected by binge |
| diuretics (water pills) or laxatives to lose | | | | eating. The medical treatment of bulimia has |
| weight). Restrictive eating patterns, which | | | | concentrated on antidepressants , |
| can lead to a failure to gain weight or to | | | | particularly fluoxetine, which has been found |
| being underweight and can include skipping | | | | to decrease binge eating and vomiting for |
| meals, fasting, or eliminating entire food | | | | about two-thirds of bulimic patients. |
| groups. Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual | | | | |