No one wants to see their child suffer with an eating disorder, but making things even more difficult is that the disorder isn’t always easy to detect. Children and adolescents will likely mask their disorder in a variety of ways; as a parent, it’s helpful to know the warning signs before the serious health issues arise.
The National Eating Disorders Association reports that about 35 to 37 percent of all adolescent girls indulge in some type of crash dieting, fasting, self-induced vomiting, or take diet pills. But eating disorders are hardly exclusive to teenage girls, as more boys, men, and younger children are seeking treatment for disorders and concerns. Here are some common signs of eating disorders that can exist in children and teens of all ages and gender:
1. Hiding weight loss under clothing
One common sign of someone who is suffering from anorexia, which is diagnosed due to a variety of common symptoms, is that the sufferer attempts to hide his or her low weight under bulky clothing. This includes clothing that’s inappropriate for the weather, such as sweatshirts in the summertime.
2. Compulsive exercise and other obsessive behaviors
You want your child to be fit and should always encourage them to be active, plus there are many social benefits that can be gained by participating in a sport or activity. However, if your child or teen builds his or her day around exercise it can become an obsession. Does your child panic if anything keeps him from his daily routine? Or spend an inordinate amount of time training/exercising?
3. Weight stagnation or loss
Natural weight gain in a healthy person usually continues into their early 20s. If your child is continuing to grow but not gaining weight—especially in early adolescence—this could be a warning sign of a possible eating disorder.
4. Binge eating
Binge eating may be the most common sign of an eating disorder. Signs of binge eating disorder include eating to the point of discomfort, eating fast, showing a lack of control during eating, and feelings of disgust, shame and guilt after overeating.
5. Unusual food behaviors
People with eating disorders often exhibit unusual behaviors around food, such as cutting food into tiny pieces, using large quantities of condiments, or eliminating complete categories of food.
If your child is exhibiting signs of eating disorders, express your concerns in a loving, non-confrontational way. It’s important to discuss those worries early on before serious health consequences develop.
There are many treatment centers available, such as Center for Change, that specialize in treating eating disorders, but before you can take your child to treatment, you must help them understand that they have a problem and you are there to help them with it.