Every year, anorexia becomes an increasingly “youthful” mental illness. If earlier it was more often diagnosed in girls over 16-17 years of age, now it is often found in schoolgirls aged 11-12 years.
Childhood anorexia is a very serious problem. If you do not pay due attention to it and do not carry out comprehensive treatment, multiple chronic diseases and death will not keep you waiting.
How to recognize the problem?
Every person, including children, experiences a feeling of hunger several times throughout the day. This is a signal that it is time to take another meal. When someone feels hungry, they associate foods with foods on a subconscious level. Everyone imagines the pleasure that eating porridge or dessert will bring.
However, there are problems associated with eating behavior. One child may constantly feel hungry, so he needs to chew something all day long, while others refuse all foods except their favorite foods. And there are those children who have no desire to eat, they have no appetite. It is this disorder that leads to childhood anorexia.
The problem manifests itself differently in each child. Some just cry and don’t want to sit down at the table, others start to get hysterical and spit out their food. For others, the problem is a little more serious - nausea and vomiting begin after eating. However, in any case, such behavior is a serious deviation, so you need to fight it. Forcing a child to eat is not the best way to solve the problem.
What is the disease
Very often, articles on the topic of eating disorders are illustrated with an unusual picture. It shows a thin girl looking in the mirror. Her reflection does not correspond to reality - in it we see clear signs of obesity.
This is exactly what happens in reality - anorexics think they are fat, even if they are underweight. At the same time, it is impossible to convince patients that they are thin.
To lose weight, patients deliberately refuse food and fast. They starve themselves of the most severe diets, as a result of which they literally “melt” before our eyes. The difficulty is that with such behavior the food instinct is disrupted. It gets to the point where a gag reflex occurs in response to eating even a small portion of food.
Children with anorexia do not experience the urge to eat. Their greatest value is the thought of soon acquiring an ideal figure. According to statistics, the peak incidence occurs at the age of 13-15 years. Twenty percent of cases end in suicide.
Types of anorexia
There are several types of childhood anorexia. The first is somatogenic. This problem is associated with the development of any diseases in the body. These could be infections, problems with the digestive tract, or oral diseases. Respiratory and circulatory disorders also lead to the development of anorexia. Other causes include chronic intoxication, allergies and worms. Therefore, if a child suddenly stops eating, then he urgently needs to be examined to identify the problem. All signs and symptoms of anorexia should disappear when the underlying disease is completely eliminated.
The second type of problem is neurotic. The reasons in this case are stress, improper sleep patterns and the day in general. However, a diagnosis can only be made after a thorough examination.
Causes of Anorexia Nervosa
Factors that can provoke anorexia of the neurotic type include problems with parents, constant threats from them, especially if they are related to food intake. The problem can be caused by excessive spoiling of the child, or rather, by his improper upbringing. Negative events in a child’s life have a particularly strong impact on his appetite. If parents constantly quarrel in the kitchen, or force them to eat food too rudely, then over time the baby will lose his appetite on a subconscious level. Severe stress can also lead to childhood anorexia. Depending on how the parents react to the problem, anorexia may go away in a week or may last for several years. When we talk about severe stress, we mean the loss of loved ones, separation from parents, or severe fright while eating.
Teenage anorexia: how to notice in time and how to help
– Anorexia in a broad sense is a disorder of eating behavior in the direction of a decrease in appetite and the amount of food consumed, not directly related to a violation of one’s attitude towards oneself. Anorexia nervosa is a common mental disorder in teenagers. It is based on a person’s desire to change himself, his physical self, most often to lose weight.
– Who is most likely to experience anorexia?
– Those for whom appearance has an extremely valuable meaning, that is, one that lies at the center of all human experiences. Naturally, such interest in one’s physical self is characteristic primarily of adolescents and young adults. Adolescents are in a special risk zone when they have left childhood, but have not yet reached adulthood, and this is why they are “stormy.”
Nowadays, anorexia also occurs in boys, but 90% of cases still occur in girls. They are disturbed when their appearance, in their opinion, does not correspond to standards.
– How can you tell if something is wrong with your child?
– We need to pay attention if a previously unusual attitude towards oneself and towards food manifests itself. There is a special interest in diets; the topic of losing weight and special exercises for this takes center stage in conversations. Moreover, these conversations become emotionally charged. Vulnerability also appears; any opinion causes a disproportionate, excessive reaction, which manifests itself both in expression and in the duration of processing of the message. A person literally gets stuck on this. Children or teenagers begin to feel ashamed of themselves, cover up what they think are problematic areas: sit down in a certain way, buy different clothes.
Help is almost always needed when a teenager begins to regard his peculiarity as a defect and becomes obsessed with this idea.
– Who should I contact in such a situation?
– First, see a pediatrician or therapist, depending on age. You need to report changes in eating behavior. The doctor will assess whether there is weight deficiency, metabolic disorders, or changes in the blood count. Girls who diet often develop problems with the menstrual cycle, so sometimes consultations with more specialized specialists are required. The pediatrician will point this out if necessary.
You can immediately contact a psychiatrist. Precisely to a psychiatrist, and not to a psychologist or psychotherapist. This is important to determine whether a person has a mental disorder and, if found, to begin treatment immediately.
– My daughter faced the problem you are talking about. She is 16 years old, she has begun to develop as a girl, she is quickly gaining excess weight and has a lot of complexes because of this. She has become irritable and cries a lot. What do you recommend?
- I will give advice to my mother. First of all, treat your daughter with understanding. She should see the person approaching her not as a person who rejects her experiences, but as someone who sympathizes with her and tries to understand.
On a behavioral level, demonstrate to the girl that her experiences are not a trifle. In any case, there are experiences, they are significant for a person, no matter what caused them. If you don't support your daughter and downplay her problems, you will only alienate her from you.
You need to say: “I see that this worries you a lot.” Remember the phrase, this is a universal formula that helps in solving many problems of adolescents.
Second: you must give a careful message that this is not necessarily a disease, it can be an age-related stage. But do not say directly that this happens to almost everyone at this age, that all girls begin to perceive themselves this way, otherwise there is a risk that the child will perceive this as a denial of the problem. Say that you are not sure, but you have read that this happens, you need help and there are specialists who can help. This will set you up for a positive perception of help.
Then you need to ask: “How will you feel if we turn to specialists?” If a child says that he wants to go to a psychologist and not a psychiatrist, you need to agree even to this incorrect order of help, but first you need to talk to the psychologist so that he can also recommend a doctor.
We must accept as much as possible from the child. All his options for help, all his problems, then he will join in the interaction and the treatment will be successful. No matter what ridiculous arguments a teenager may give in your opinion, they need to be understood and accepted without any buts. This is universal advice. The rest will be decided by the specialist individually.
– How should you behave with a teenager so that obsessive thoughts about changing himself do not enter his head?
– I would advise everyone to initially be thoughtful and careful about value judgments regarding appearance. Sometimes even the family doesn’t notice it. A father can say to his daughter: “Well, you’re overfed! Daughter, you need to lose weight.” And if this is still supported by the mother and grandmother, then the teenager comes to understand that he is rejected based on his physical appearance by the entire family.
Teachers can also get involved here and say: “You are now a well-fed generation. Look how well-fed everyone is.”
If this exists, there is an urgent need to rebuild communication in the family and school. Even if the words do not lead to anorexia, they will definitely hurt children and adolescents and cause psychological trauma.
In general, you need to avoid making value judgments regarding children, teenagers, and everyone around you. Be careful with your tongue! It is important to strengthen a person’s self-esteem by celebrating the merits of his actions. Look at the example. The boy cleaned the apartment. You can say: “What a great fellow you are! You're so good!" That is, you will appreciate his personality. Or you can say, “I’m so pleased! I feel like you tried really hard and the apartment looks different.”
In this case, the person will evaluate himself. And he will not become dependent on the opinions of others. It is very important.
Note actions and actions that please you, notice at least this in your children.
It’s also good when children approach adolescence with certain interests in life. Then they have more resources to cope with different situations. The less developed a child is as a person, the more susceptible he is to external influence.
Symptoms
The two main manifestations that suggest the development of anorexia are weight loss due to lack of appetite.
However, other symptoms may also occur. Childhood anorexia can manifest itself as nausea and vomiting before/after meals, problems with sleep, teeth and gums, lethargy, and behavior that is atypical for a child during meals (turning plates, hysterics). Irritability and moodiness are also symptoms.
It is imperative to pay attention to how many times the child refuses to eat and whether the symptoms recur. Sometimes children try to attract attention in this way, so this behavior often ends after three or four days. You can seek medical help after a week if symptoms do not go away. You should immediately rush to see a specialist if the child does not eat anything for several days and suddenly, rapidly loses weight.
Signs of an eating disorder in boys
Some changes in the behavior of adolescents and men with anorexia are noticeable in close contact. Family and friends should be aware of these signs so that treatment can begin promptly.
You should be wary if a young man:
- often feels general weakness;
- practically does not eat;
- overly keen on heavy sports activities;
- continues to train even if injured;
- gets nervous if you have to miss a workout;
- ceases to be interested in the opposite sex.
Research from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) found that 33% of teens use diet, exercise, or both to control their weight. Over time, this behavior can acquire pathological features, turning into anorexia.
Diagnosis of anorexia
Treatment
Given all the symptoms of childhood anorexia, treatment may be completely unexpected. The doctor will treat each child differently, as therapy depends on the primary problem.
First of all, you need to eliminate all the reasons that led to the development of the problem. Moreover, parents play a large role in therapy, since their task is to create the most favorable conditions for the child in the family. The baby should develop a good attitude towards eating and develop good eating habits. It is imperative to take into account all previous mistakes so as not to repeat them and make the situation even worse.
Psychotherapy at home
Parents must provide the child with a correct and precise feeding regimen. The deviation can be no more than half an hour. In between meals, the baby is not allowed to give any sweets, so as not to kill his appetite. In order for the desire to eat to increase, it is better to offer the child to rest half an hour before meals. This will allow him to tune in to eating.
Considering that the child is easily distracted, during meals you need to turn off the TV, put away phones and tablets, toys, goodies, and books. It is advisable to arrange the dish in a playful way to make it more interesting for the baby to eat. To prevent the portion size from seeming too large, you need to use huge plates.
If a child refuses to eat, there is no need to yell at him. Under no circumstances should punishment be used. This way the baby’s condition will not improve. You need to agree with the child and wait for the next meal. If you have problems swallowing, you can wash your food down with water. However, sips should not be large, so as not to lose your appetite.
Treatment with medications
When the first signs and symptoms of anorexia appear, treatment should begin immediately. In some cases, medications are prescribed. In advanced situations, the baby may be admitted to the hospital.
Medicines are prescribed that help saturate the body with vitamins and iron. Ascorbic acid, tinctures of mint, wormwood, and valerian are prescribed. Sometimes hydrochloric acid is used, which is mixed with pepsin, and various enzymes.
We must remember the fact that anorexia is an insidious disease. The older the child is, the easier it will be for him to cope with the problem. This is especially due to the fact that babies need a lot of substances and minerals for the proper development of the body.
Anorexia in newborns (up to 1 year)
Anorexia is the most difficult to diagnose in young children because newborns may cry and refuse to eat for a variety of reasons.
The reasons for the development of such a problem in them include an incorrectly chosen formula, congenital diseases, incorrectly introduced first complementary foods, as well as breast milk with an insufficient level of fat content. These are psychogenic causes. Somatogenic includes a longer list. The causes of anorexia include trauma during childbirth, prematurity, problems with the central nervous system, and encephalopathy associated with the quantitative composition of bilirubin in the body. In most cases, anorexia is caused by congenital diseases of the oral cavity and the body as a whole, as well as hereditary problems.
Treatment of anorexia in newborns
Treatment of childhood anorexia in newborns should be carried out only after a diagnosis has been made. If the cause is some underlying disease, it should be urgently eliminated. If anorexia develops due to improper feeding regimen, then you will have to change food.
In newborns, a similar problem needs to be eliminated as quickly as possible, since it is in the first year of life that the child’s internal organs and systems are formed, and with anorexia there is a 98% chance that complications will arise.
Features of the treatment of childhood anorexia
The fight against anorexia includes:
- return to healthy eating habits;
- normalization of mental state;
- weight gain.
In the first stages, the patient is prescribed bed rest. It is very important that she is under constant medical supervision. The patient should not be left alone, as during moments of isolation she may deliberately induce vomiting in order to continue to lose weight.
Help to improve the situation:
- fractional balanced meals;
- dehydration therapy;
- eliminating constipation.
As soon as the child’s physical condition returns to normal, a psychotherapist begins to actively work with him. It is not enough to bring your weight up to normal levels. If you do not change your attitude towards the issue of losing weight, then immediately after discharge the anorexic woman will begin to lose weight again. Therefore, it is impossible to do without psychotherapy sessions.
Anorexia in children from 1 to 3 years old
A child aged 1-3 years begins to gradually enter society; he learns to speak and walk. At this age, anorexia rarely appears due to congenital problems, since they usually appear after childbirth. Psychological factors also do not play a special role here, since at this age children are not yet particularly aware of the death of relatives or the divorce of their parents.
Therefore, in most cases, the cause of anorexia in a child is the incorrect feeding mechanism of the child. When parents try to force their child to eat and constantly lecture about how healthy it is, in a raised voice, the child becomes disgusted. In the most advanced cases, vomiting may begin only at the sight of soup or porridge.
Anorexia in preschool children (from 4 to 7 years old)
Children's psyche develops quite quickly, and they are able to assess their surroundings as soon as they turn 5 years old. The symptoms of childhood anorexia and treatment will be severe, since often the problem is caused by some pathological process that develops against the background of another problem. The cause of nutrition problems can be any stress experienced. These could be conflicts at home, in kindergarten, on the street, severe fear, parental divorce, the death of a loved one, physical or sexual violence, fear of school.
Along with the main symptoms (weight loss and refusal to eat), the child may have insomnia, lethargy, dizziness, autism, constipation, skin problems and urinary incontinence.
Anorexia in adolescents. What to do
Anorexia in adolescents is a mental disorder and in its later stages can only be treated in a hospital setting. Treatment includes a set of measures aimed at combating exhaustion of the body, including the forcible introduction of nutrients directly into the blood, and psychotherapeutic measures, including hypnosis.
In addition, measures are being taken to eliminate negative effects from the cardiovascular, endocrine and digestive systems. This disease is difficult to treat, relapse rates are more than 30 percent.
But it is not without reason that they say that the best medicine is disease prevention. Relatives and friends need to create conditions to minimize the causes leading to the development of the disease, and at the first signs of a disorder, immediately take the necessary measures.
Causes of anorexia in adolescents
Up to 90 percent of adolescents with anorexia are girls. The disease occurs during a period of hormonal explosion against the background of beauty templates prevailing in society, from the Barbie doll to top models from the covers of glossy magazines.
The ridicule of others also plays a role; a carelessly thrown phrase from loved ones can also be a reason. Problems in the family, quarrels between parents, formal relationships, divorce can lead a teenager to self-restraint in food.
In addition to imitative and protest motives, there may also be perfectionistic ones. Teenage maximalism strives for self-improvement. This is especially evident in demonstrative individuals.
There are also hypotheses about hereditary predisposition. For example, if a girl’s mother or sister suffered from anorexia, then she also has a high risk of developing this disease.
Measures to prevent anorexia in adolescents
- The main preventive measure for parents is to maintain warm, trusting relationships in the family. It is necessary to control the situation, give the child the necessary attention, but without overprotection, which, on the contrary, will lead to counterproductive results.
- It is important to provide explanations about proper nutrition and its necessity to achieve your goals. After all, in fact, anorexia leads to anemia, hormonal imbalance, osteoporosis, problems with skin, hair, teeth. Problems with the stomach, heart, and even the threat of death arise.
- Support the child’s interests in physical education, sports, and dancing. Do not criticize your appearance, adhere to the rules of a healthy diet. Do not threaten or intimidate.
Symptoms of Anorexia in Teens
- The child wants to lose weight regardless of the consequences and refuses to acknowledge the existence of this problem
- obsession with appearance, constantly looking at oneself in the mirror, counting calories, dissatisfaction with the result, etc.
- Mood changes, increased irritability, depression. Unfocused attention, memory deterioration, decreased academic performance.
- The desire to eat alone, weight loss for no apparent reason.
- Absence of menstruation in a teenage girl for three or more months.
If the first signs of anorexia appear in adolescents, you should immediately consult a doctor. Timely treatment will help quickly defeat this disease.
Treatment of anorexia in preschool children
Treatment, as a rule, requires only psychotherapeutic techniques. You can drink soothing teas, infusions of mint, lemon balm, and lavender. The latter must be weak, otherwise side effects may begin. The doctor may prescribe Glycine, Citral, Persen and other drugs.
If a child has severe problems with eating, he may be prescribed tranquilizers. They should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor.
Psychotherapists are often invited to treat childhood anorexia. There are a lot of good specialists in Moscow and other cities who can help solve the problem. A preschooler should feel that his parents love and value him.
If left untreated
Anorexia in children must be treated. Otherwise the following will occur:
- hormonal imbalances;
- avitaminosis;
- calcium deficiency leading to frequent fractures;
- severe nervous system disorders;
- disturbances in the activity of the heart;
- tendency to caries, premature loosening and loss of teeth.
Without receiving the necessary nutrients on a regular basis, the body loses its ability to function normally. Subsequently, it is not always possible to eliminate all the negative consequences of childhood anorexia. Some chronic pathologies remain with the patient for life. Therefore, it is so important to enlist the support of a psychotherapist at the first signs of a mental disorder.
In Moscow, you can get treatment for anorexia by contacting the doctors at the Leto mental health center. Just call 8(498)754-15-75 and tell us what happened. Leto doctors will definitely help you.
Anorexia in children from 8 to 10 years old
Anorexia in a child of this age category may be a borderline problem. And if at a younger age both boys and girls went to the doctor in equal proportions, then already at the age of 8-10, more and more representatives of the fairer sex suffer from the described problem.
The reasons may be related to socialization. If we are talking about girls, then early menstruation can also be a provoking factor. The little ones have a desire to be as beautiful and slender as their aunt or mother. The meaning of diets has not yet dawned on them, but they grasp the logic: to become the same, you either need to eat little or stop eating altogether. The second most popular reason is stress.
Anorexia at this age will not manifest itself as clearly as in children. Children will brush off eating because of homework or other commitments. Therefore, the main task of parents is to identify the problem in time and quickly solve it.
Photos of childhood anorexia cause horror in every person. To get rid of the problem, you will have to turn to psychologists, since at this age the child is aware of everything, and it will not be possible to correct the situation quickly and easily.
Teenage anorexia
During puberty, girls and boys pay special attention to their appearance. Compared to the advertising figures on TV and the Internet, their bodies are far from perfect. Therefore, they are ready to make any sacrifice to change their body for the better.
Young men begin to play sports intensively, switch to a different diet, and lose several kilograms. But, trying to reduce weight, teenagers can get carried away and not notice how losing weight for health and aesthetic purposes gradually turns into pathology. Restrictions on food lead to a decrease in appetite, and then to its complete absence. Exhausting physical training for anorexia does not contribute to the growth of muscle mass, but harms the functioning of the heart.
Boys' skeletal structure and rapid growth during adolescence hide the problem of being underweight, so anorexia may go unnoticed.
Learn more about teenage anorexia
