5 Signs That Should Raise More Questions About Your Child’s Eating
Eating disorders are complex mental health disorders that dramatically impact one’s life and can be detrimental to one’s health. They can also be difficult to spot, as symptoms can be easily dismissed or hidden by those suffering. While sudden change in weight is the most commonly known symptom, it is estimated that less than 6% of those diagnosed with eating disorders are considered medically underweight. Weight change alone should never be the sole factor used to determine the severity of one’s eating disorder. For those seeking pediatric counseling in Waco, it is important to address the emotional roots of these behaviors early on.
There are many types of eating disorders. Three of the most well-known are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder. While they might present as very different from each other, all are serious and deserving of treatment.
Listed here are 5 common red flags associated with eating disorders. If you spot some of these behaviors in a loved one, it may be worth asking more questions and getting the opinion of a medical provider that has experience with eating disorder treatment.
1. Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
When the body does not get enough energy from food, the heart has a hard time regulating blood pressure and heart rate. This causes someone to become lightheaded or dizzy when they stand up. Other physical symptoms might be feeling cold often, hair loss, brittle nails, heartburn, constipation/ diarrhea, muscle cramps, sleep disturbances, or loss of menstrual cycle in females. In some cases, pediatric physical therapy can help children safely rebuild strength and manage the physical toll these symptoms take on the body.
2. Eating alone
Eating alone allows a space to engage in harmful behaviors such as restriction, purging, and binging. Those with eating disorders also often feel embarrassed to eat in front of others.
3. Changes in temperament/ mood
Many describe the onset of an eating disorder as a time when they also noticed a spike in anxiety and/ or depression. These people may come off as irritable, angry, sad, or apathetic. Many also notice a change in obsessive-compulsive behaviors and become very rigid in their thinking.
4. Using the bathroom after each meal
When food (or thoughts of food) causes a large emotional response, it is often associated with nausea, which could cause someone to feel the need to vomit. This is known as purging. Other methods of purging calories include overexercising, laxative abuse, or diuretic abuse.
5. Sudden change in food preferences
Restriction can be a part of any eating disorder, and restriction often starts as seemingly innocent changes in preferences or a sudden interest in “healthy foods”. Other signs of restriction could be reading food labels, researching foods/ diets, counting calories, weighing/ measuring foods, avoiding entire food groups or a specific nutrient, limiting variety, or eating small portions.
While none of these behaviors alone can determine if someone has an eating disorder, they are behaviors that would warrant further investigation. Eating disorders are serious conditions that can quickly impact physical and mental health. Research shows that early intervention is extremely important in having the best chance for a full recovery.
Here at Compleo, we want to aid in the treatment of eating disorders. Along with our dietitians, our team offers services ranging from pediatric physical therapy to pediatric counseling in Waco to ensure your child’s recovery is total and lasting. Schedule an appointment today.