Eating Disorders :Eating Disorders


What is an Eating Disorder? :What is an Eating Disorder? Humans need food and water to live. Kids especially need to eat healthy food and enough of it to grow and develop. But for some kids, they hear about food making them "too fat" or they start to worry about food and some kids stop eating right, eat too little, or try to make themselves throw up after they eat.


Types of Eating Disorders :Types of Eating Disorders Anorexia Bulimia


What is Anorexia? :What is Anorexia? With this problem, the main thing is that someone becomes very afraid of gaining weight and also thinks his or her body is too fat (even if the person is thin). Some people just lose a lot of weight by extreme dieting (not eating enough), and some also might vomit after they eat.


What are the Symptoms of Anorexia? :What are the Symptoms of Anorexia? Losing lots of weight Denying feeling hungry (saying you are not hungry even if you are) Exercising too much Feeling fat Withdrawing from social activities (not wanting to go to parties or out for dinner)


How Does Anorexia Hurt the Body? :How Does Anorexia Hurt the Body? Anorexia may do damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys. Breathing, blood pressure, and pulse also may drop — this is the body's way of shifting into low gear to protect itself. Fingernails may break and hair may fall out, too. Kids with anorexia often do not feel well — they suffer from headaches, dizziness, and concentration difficulties. They also may become withdrawn and moody. And people with anorexia will feel chilly even in warm weather because they don't have enough body fat to keep them warm.


What is Bulimia? :What is Bulimia? Instead of starving themselves, people who have bulimia nervosa (will binge and purge. That means they will binge (that is, eat a huge amount of food, like a tub of ice cream, then a big bag of chips, then a box of cookies in 2 hours or so), then purge (try to get rid of it by vomiting or taking laxatives, usually in secret).


What are the Symptoms of Bulimia? :What are the Symptoms of Bulimia? Making excuses to go to the bathroom immediately after meals Eating huge amounts of food without weight gain Using laxatives or diuretics Withdrawing from social activities


How Does Bulimia Hurt the Body? :How Does Bulimia Hurt the Body? For kids with bulimia, the most serious problem is that their purging means a loss of potassium, an important nutrient. Someone who has bulimia might have problems with tooth decay because puke is acidic. In addition to the health problems, kids who have an eating disorder are probably not having much fun. Typically, these kids miss out on good times because they pull away from friends and keep to themselves.


What Causes Eating Disorders? :What Causes Eating Disorders? There really is no single cause for an eating disorder. Most kids who develop anorexia do so between the ages of 11 and 14, and there are many reasons why. Some kids just don't feel good about themselves on the inside and this makes them try to change the outside. They might be depressed or stressed about things and feel as though they have no control over their lives. They see what they eat as something that they can control.


How to Help Someone with an Eating Disorder :How to Help Someone with an Eating Disorder Talking about having a problem and getting help is the first step to getting back to being healthy again. It's important to take action as soon as possible. Someone with an eating disorder may see a doctor, a dietitian, and a counselor or therapist. Together, the team can help the person achieve the goals of reaching a healthy weight, following a nutritious diet, and feeling good about himself or herself again.


Resource :Resource http://kidshealth.org/kid/nutrition/food/eatdisorder.html