About Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are potentially serious medical conditions that can present during late childhood or adolescence.

Eating disorders can manifest in many ways: 
  • sudden loss of an excessive amount of weight due to restricting the amounts and types of foods eaten; 
  • binge eating, sometimes accompanied by purging; 
  • excessive focus on "healthy eating" leading to fewer foods becoming considered acceptable to eat; and/or
  • excessive focus on exercise or building a muscled physique.  
Eating disorders can cause serious medical complications, such as fatigue, light-headedness, slowed heart rate, loss of normal menstrual cycles, constipation, and in severe cases, can cause life-threatening cardiac and metabolic disorders.  Eating disorders can also cause or worsen mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and self-harming behaviors. 

Office Management

Regular pre-scheduled appointments,every week or month, depending on the severity of the condition.
At each appointment, 
  • a urine sample will be taken, weight will be checked with the patient in a paper gown, and the weight will be done “blinded”, meaning the patient will not see what their weight is.
  • Blood pressure and heart rate will be checked while the patient is lying down, then standing up.
  • Time will be spent reviewing daily food intake, amount of exercise, updates from the therapist and nutritionist, and any questions or concerns from the patient or parent.
  • Sometimes an appointment with just the parents or with the nutritionist and therapist are scheduled as well.
  • Advice will be given about adjusting dietary plans and any limitations to exercise, and goals will be discussed with the patient and family.
DIAGNOSIS
​During all regular well child visits, your pediatrician will screen for any nutritional concerns, concerning changes on the growth curves, and any physical signs that could indicate an eating disorder.  They will also provide appropriate advice about how to discuss healthy eating and body image in the home, to help prevent any tendencies toward eating disorders.  

Appointments can be made specifically to look for an eating disorder if there are concerns by the family or other treating care provider.

Diagnosis involves reviewing details of the child’s eating and exercise habits, measurements of weight and height, and a full physical examination including blood pressure and heart rate checked lying down and standing up.  Laboratory tests are sometimes indicated, including urinalysis, blood chemistries, and hormone levels.  Additional tests might include an EKG and a bone density test.
TREATMENT
​Treatment of an eating disorder is typically done as a team approach, involving the pediatrician, who monitors and oversees the medical aspects of the disorder, a psychologist with expertise in treating eating disorders who will provide support to the patient and family, and a nutritionist who educates about the nutritional needs of the patient. The most common approach is Family Based Treatment (FBT), where parents or guardians supervise when and how much the child is eating, and over time letting the child become more independent in their eating as they become more medically stable. 
SUPPORT
Having a child with an eating disorder can be a scary and overwhelming situation, and your pediatrician will work with your child and your whole family to provide the support you need to get the best care possible. Many family members, including siblings and parents need a therapist of their own while one child is struggling with an eating disorder.