Diagnosing Eating Disorders in Young Children
A woman recently wrote into CNN’s “Expert Q&A” column, asking about eating disorders in small children. CNN’s Living Well Expert, Dr. Jennifer Shu, provided a response that included the following information:
[Sari Fine Shepphird, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and author of "100 Questions and Answers about Anorexia Nervosa"] reports that although the majority of new cases of anorexia are diagnosed between the ages of 13 and 18, about 10 percent of patients with eating disorders show an onset of their symptoms before age 10, and eating disorders have been reported in children as young as 5.
Recent studies show that it is increasingly common for young children to be on a diet and to express a fear of gaining weight and that even young kids may engage in unhealthy and potentially harmful diet behaviors.”
While an otherwise healthy child's "picky eating" is likely just a phase that will go away, there are many signs that can signal a potential concern. These include the unhealthy behaviors listed above as well as unexpected changes in weight, a preoccupation with one's weight and "feeling fat," hoarding food and persistent refusal of all but a few types of food.
posted by EatingDisordersHelpGuide at 4:06 AM
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