The Royal Children's Hospital in Victoria, Australia has so many new anorexia cases - amid a decrease in funding - that it's been forced to close its doors to new patients. Admissions among 10- to 13-year-olds alone have increased from three in 2003 to 43 last year.

"State Government funding has not increased to meet demand and despite pleas for help the hospital, which does not have the staff to deal with so many cases, has been forced to reduce its eating disorder beds from twelve to six, and limit new admissions."

The hospital recently admitted a 13-year-old girl who was so sick that she went immediately to intensive care. Exacerbating the situation is a lack of outpatient resources such as counseling. Read more at TheAge.com.

Luckily, here in the US, we have private residential treatment centers, like Island View in Utah, which can help children with a variety of emotional and behavioral issues. Visit www.islandview-rtc.com for more information.

Labels: children, hospitals, treatment

During National Eating Disorders Awareness Week couple in February, a new novel about eating disorders went on sale. A Slice of Heaven was written by Sherryl Wood who, fortunately, has never suffered with an eating disorder, but learned to appreciate the complexities of eating disorders after speaking with specialists at The Childrens' Hospital in Denver.

"'This is not a problem to be ignored or wished away,' Woods said, 'especially with younger and younger girls developing self-image issues and resolving them with extreme eating behaviors such as anorexia or bulimia.'"

Go online to read more about Wood's book and visit the National Eating Disorders Awareness website for more information on symptoms, warning signs, consequences and treatment options.

Labels: awareness, children, self-image_issues

Eating disorders often go undiagnosed in special needs children. Unusual eating patterns are often attributed to some other diagnoses.

"If you feel that your child has experienced unusual weight loss or weight gain, please consult the family doctor or pediatrician. If you are advised to 'wait and see' whether the change continues and still feel uneasy about your child's weight, consider a second opinion."

There are many reasons why the eating habits of a special needs child could change. Though parents shouldn't become alarmed, they should take note of the change and try to determine its cause. Read more at BellaOnline.com.

Labels: children, diagnosis, special_needs_kids

"Dance Dance Revolution," a video game that makes children jump and dance, is going to be used as exercise in every West Virginia school. The game's manufacturer, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., has agreed to help schools attain the game after a study showed it benefitted overweight children.

Reseachers working with West Virginia University and the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency tested the game on overweight children. The children played the game in their homes for a half hour a day for 24 weeks. The majority improved aerobic capacity, blood vessel function, and overall fitness levels. Some of the children even lost weight.

Labels: children, exercise

A father's attitudes and comments are important factors in whether his daughter will develop bulimia and other eating disorders, a new study by Stanford University shows.

If a father is overly critical of his little girl's weight or if he himself is trying to lose weight, his daughter is more likely to develop an eating disorder in adolescence. The research also indicated that both parents could raise their daughter's risk by being overly controlling about what she eats, putting pressure on her to be thin, and placing too much emphasis on weight control.

A research team led by Dr. W. Stewart Agras followed 134 boys and girls from birth to age 11. Parents filled out annual questionnaires about their children's eating habits and weights.

One key finding was that concerns about being thin could start as early as third grade. This study appeared in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Labels: children, parents, support