What parents need to know about eating disorders
As we’ve seen in the media recently, over the course of the pandemic there’s been a striking increase in eating disorders among children and youth. Eating disorders are complex illnesses, and they pose serious and life-threatening risks to a young person’s physical health, and social-emotional development.
However, it can be challenging for parents to know when to be concerned. That’s especially the case because eating disorders typically begin during adolescence. This is a time when parents are generally pleased to see their children developing their independence, and taking more responsibility in their lives, including when and what they eat.
While the exact cause of eating disorders is still not fully understood, we do know that parents don’t cause these illnesses. Eating disorders in youth occur as a result of a “perfect storm,” where a variety of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors converge.
So, how do you know when it’s time to get help? The National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) has created a checklist of behavioural and physical changes in your child that suggest they have an eating disorder. If you notice the following, it may be time to have your child evaluated by a family doctor or paediatrician.
Behaviours
- Increasingly restrictive eating pattern, such as starting a new diet, cutting out specific foods or cutting out whole food groups
- Eating very small portions at mealtimes
- Skipping meals
- Eating alone or a fear of eating in front of others
- Eating more than usual even when not hungry
- Preoccupation with thoughts about food, calories, weight and body image
- Spending time in the bathroom immediately after meals
- Increased moodiness or emotional dysregulation
- Very intense and frequent exercise routines
- Loss of interest in social life, hobbies or favourite foods
Physical changes
- Extreme weight loss or weight gain
- Lack of growth in height
- Feeling cold all the time
- Frequent stomach aches or gastro-intestinal issues
- More tired than usual or a lack of energy
- Menstrual changes in females, such as the loss of their period
- Dizzy spells or fainting
- Thinning or loss of hair
The good news for parents is that eating disorders are treatable with a combination of family-based treatment and medical monitoring, and most young people can recover completely with the right support. If you’re worried that your child could be struggling with disordered eating, there are some additional resources below.
Additional Resources
Maura McClellan is a registered social worker and psychotherapist at Your Therapy.
Your Therapy is a safe, welcoming, psychotherapy & counselling practice in the Greater Toronto Area. Thanks for reading and, as always, please feel free to reach out with questions about talk therapy or other mental health issues. We offer depression therapy, anxiety therapy and more.