Understanding Eating Disorders
What is it? Eating disorders are serious mental and physical health conditions involving unhealthy relationships with food, body image, and weight. They can affect growth, emotional health, and overall well-being.
Common Types
- Anorexia Nervosa:
Intense fear of gaining weight → severe food restriction, excessive exercise, or both.
- Restricting - limits intake
- Binge-eating/purging - restricts and purges
- Bulimia Nervosa:
Cycles of binge eating followed by purging (vomiting, laxatives, excessive exercise). - Binge-Eating Disorder:
Recurrent episodes of eating large amounts of food with loss of control, without purging.
When to Manage at Home
✅ You can manage your child's eating disorder at home when he/she is:
- Medically stable and not losing weight rapidly.
- Eating at least three meals + snacks daily (with supervision).
- Following a treatment plan from their care team (therapist, dietitian, psychiatrist).
- Emotionally supported with open communication at home.
Tips for Parents
- Remind your child they have people that care about them
- Talk openly and honestly about your concerns using “I” statements, listen openly, and deliver information in a fact-based approach (ex. “I have noticed you haven’t been joining us for dinner lately.”)
- Compliment strengths unrelated to child’s eating, appearance, or weight
- Maintain routines, as able and plan activities for following meals, to redirect attention
- Avoid placing blame and be patient – recovery is a marathon
- Stay firm and keep in mind that the best outcomes occur when caregivers are on the same page.
Online Resources for Families
- F.E.A.S.T (Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders) - An international non-profit that empowers parents and caregivers to help loved ones recover from eating disorders
Feast-ed.org
Video and Audio Resources for Families
