About eating disorders
Eating disorders are alarmingly common- there are an estimated 1.2 million people currently living with an eating problem in the UK.
For parents of children with eating problems, it can be an incredibly worrying and difficult time. You may feel frustrated and helpless, and desperate to help your child.
Types of eating disorders
There are many types of eating disorders, with different symptoms. The most well-known is anorexia nervosa, in which sufferers aim to restrict their food intake to lose weight. A person with anorexia has an intense fear of weight gain.
Bulimia nervosa is a disorder which causes sufferers to purge (vomit) on purpose to rid themselves of the food they have eaten. Bulimics sometimes binge eat before purging- which can also involve using laxatives.
Binge eating disorder causes sufferers to consume a large amount of food, which can then cause the sufferer to feel guilty or ashamed.
OSFED (an abbreviation of other specified feeding or eating disorder) is a term covering eating disorders which don’t fall specifically into one of the above categories- and sufferers may display symptoms of different disorders at once.
The root of the matter
Eating disorders aren’t always about not gaining weight, losing weight or body shape. The root cause of an eating problem may be trauma, a perfectionist streak, or life experiences. It isn’t always straightforward to spot why a child is developing an issue with food.
The cause may be a mixture of different circumstances, including anxiety, depression, low self- esteem, social influences, or genetics.
It’s thought that eating disorders may be on the rise due to the impact of social media on teenagers and young adults, as they are continually shown images of thin or attractive people, which can lead to a distorted body image.
Treatment
Recovery from an eating disorder takes time- and that length of time will be different for everyone.
Many sufferers will be referred to a specialist team who will oversee their care and recovery. Treatment will usually involve monitoring weight gain to a healthy level, plus a talking therapy.
The team may also need to monitor the patient’s physical health for any medical complications caused by the disorder.
