How to Identify Eating Disorders in Your Teen
Identifying an eating disorder in your teen before it progresses to a dangerous level can be lifesaving. Identifying eating disorders in your teen primarily involves vigilance on your part.
Note any significant change in your teen's weight, particularly if your teen did not need to lose weight or gain weight.
Note any significant changes in your teen's eating habits, such as suddenly refusing to eat the crusts on bread or starting to cut all food into very tiny pieces before eating any of it. Note any unusual rituals around eating.
Talk to your teen's dentist about the health of her teeth. Dentists can often identify bulimic patients by the characteristic loss of tooth enamel.
Remain aware of your teen daughter's menstrual cycle. Cessation of menstruation may indicate an eating disorder.
Note your teen's behavior around mealtime. Does she hesitate to eat in front of others? Does she head to the bathroom immediately after eating?
Listen to what your teen says about her appearance and weight. Does she complain of being fat even though she's not really overweight? Does she obsess over different diets?
Observe your teen's hands. Calluses on the knuckles may result from inducing vomiting.
Observe your teen's exercise habits. Excessive exercising or exercising at odd times can indicate an eating disorder. Teens that set an alarm to wake them up in the middle of the night to exercise probably have a problem. Those that insist on going for a run even in stormy weather may also have a problem.
If you observe signs of an eating disorder in your teen, seek professional help as soon as possible. Eating disorders can be deadly if not treated properly. If you believe your teen may have an eating disorder, she needs both medical care and psychological care. She should also see a registered dietician.
Sources:
Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/eating-disorders/DS00294/DSECTION=symptoms . Eating Disorders Symptoms.
Timberline Knolls. http://www.timberlineknolls.com/eating-disorder/signs-effects . Eating Disorder Symptoms and Effects.
National Eating Disorder Association. http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/uploads/file/toolkits/NEDA-TKP-A03-SignsSymptomsBehaviors.pdf . Eating Disorder Signs, Symptoms and Behaviors.
Published by Kelly Morris
I am a former social worker and in that capacity, worked with teens and their families to address issues like domestic violence and school violence. I now make my living as a freelance writer. My work has... View profile
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