Eating disorders in kids can pose a serious threat to their health and overall well-being. If not diagnosed and treated early, eating disorders can give rise to life-threatening conditions. Here are a few things that you must know about eating disorders:
1.The two most common types of eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa. These two conditions can show up separately or together in one person. Yet another type of eating disorder is Binge eating. It is not necessary that kids with eating disorders are excessive skinny or overweight.
2. It is not necessary that only girls suffer from eating disorder. Boys can also suffer from eating disorder. Binge Eating disorder affects both girls and boys.
3. Anorexia Nervosa is the condition when kids refuse to eat adequate food and calories because of the fear of becoming fat. Kids suffering from Anorexia Nervosa are extremely conscious about their body image and constantly worry about what people will think of their bodies.
4. Kids suffering from Anorexia Nervosa have a body weight 15% less than normal weight, they are gripped by a fear of growing fat, and have a negative view of their body.
5. Your kid may be suffering from Bulimia Nervosa if he/she engages in Binge eating (eating more food than normal quantity) and throws out the food by either vomiting, excessive exercising, by abusing laxatives, diuretics or diet pills.
6. Binge Eating is the condition where a kid indulges in eating more food than people usually eat. Such kids overeat to the point where they feel discomfort. Kids suffering from binge eating have no control over them when eating and usually, overeat when they are depressed .
7. A number of factors can trigger eating disorders. These are a combination of social, biological, and behavioural factors. For instance, young girls can get influenced by the thin body images promoted in various media. Moreover, kids suffering from a feeling of helplessness, depression or low self-esteem may adopt such habits as a response to the stress they are experiencing.
8. Once you spot the signs of eating disorder in your child, immediately take them for psychological counselling. Such disorders need medical attention. The underlying psychological factors must be understood before treating this problem. If you have witnessed the symptoms of eating disorder in your child and if you are looking for a child psychologist in Kolkata.
It is very important to improve the eating and nutrition habits of children by helping them improve their self-esteem. That’s the only way to help your kid overcome such a life-threatening condition.
