How to Tell if Your Child Has an Eating Disorder

Identifying eating disorders in children can be very difficult for parents. It’s often mistaken as restrictive or moody behavior. Statistics reveal that over 4% of American adolescents and teens aged 3 to 12 currently have some type of eating disorder.

The most common eating disorders diagnosed in little ones include bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating. However, parents are unable to notice the symptoms at an early age, eventually leading to severe health problems in kids.

Aligned Healthcare’s telehealth psychiatrists can help treat your kid’s eating disorder. They are qualified to identify pediatric eating issues and diagnose their root causes. Continue reading this article to learn the signs of a possible eating disorder in your child.

Behavioral Problems

Dramatic or gradual behavioral issues in kids can be a clear indication of an underlying eating disorder. Notice your child’s compulsive and impulsive decisions. Assess their eating and unusual mood swings at the table. Your child might insist on eating alone, wear baggy clothes, or vomit after eating without notifying you.

These small behavioral signs often indicate a child’s insecurity stemming from an eating disorder.

Repeated Eating and Weighing

Anorexia makes a patient obsessed with being thin. It develops an illogical strain against gaining weight and pushes one to lose weight. Anorexia is also common in children aged 5 to 15. Keep an eye on your teen and notice if they engage in purging acts, starve themselves, or eat in secret.

Bulimia is the opposite condition of anorexia. Bulimia-affected children eat a lot or binge eat without paying attention to what they’re consuming. They have an obsession with eating. Identifying bulimia symptoms in your child may be more difficult as it usually causes slow weight alterations.

Parents are recommended to consult an eating disorder psychiatrist for kids to ensure immediate diagnosis and treatment.

Physical Changes

Does your kid feel cold often? Do they experience exhaustion, stomach pains, mouth infections, and dizziness after playing or studying? Are they developing scars on their knuckles and bad breath?

If your answer is a recurring yes, you need to get them checked by a mental health professional right away. These signs indicate eating disorders and can make your child more vulnerable to diseases.

Talk to an Eating Disorder Expert in Westchester Today

Aligned Healthcare offers a wide range of telehealth psychiatry services for kids and adults. They can help people with anxiety, mood swings, eating disorders, and other mental health issues.

Call now to book an appointment.