LEARN THE WARNING SIGNS
Eating disorders in Children 12 and Under
W Part 2
When it comes to eating disorder in children under 12
early detection and prevention are key. Here we take a closer
look at the warning signs you should be looking out for.
Most people think of teenagers or young adults when they
think of eating disorders, but they can affect young children as
well. The rates of eating disorders among young girls and boys
under 12 have been growing in recent years, so it is important
for parents and anyone who works with young children to recognize
the signs:
1. Physical growth is such an important component of child-
child’s body. Researchers do not know what causes eating disorders,
but they have a strong sense of what increases the risk of
developing one. Eating disorders can be heritable, so if a parent,
sibling, or another relative of a child has an eating disorder, they
are 7-12 times more likely to develop one than a child who does
not.
2. Children diagnosed with chronic illness are also at higher
risk, particularly those diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus.
3. Children who struggle
with depression, anxiety, and
other mental illness may
also be at increased
risk.
Common Types of
Eating Disorders
in Children
Avoidant/Restrictive
Food Intake Disorder is a
common eating disorder experienced
by young children.
Children with this disorder
experience a disturbance
in their eating which can
include a lack of interest
in food or a sensory
aversion to
certain foods. For
example, a child
might be averse
to swallowing
or the texture
of foods they
once enjoyed.
They might
also fear getting
stomach
aches or
vomiting if
they became sick because of a certain food. These aversions and
among young children.
Pica is a type of condition where a child might eat non-food
or non-nutritional substances persistently. To be diagnosed with
pica, the behavior must fall outside of the child’s expected developmental
level (i.e. an infant who chews on objects would not
qualify). These substances often include dirt, soap, chalk, sand,
ice, and hair.
Anorexia Nervosa can affect both young girls and boys. Children
with anorexia think they are overweight when they seem
very underweight to other people. Children might obsess about
their food intake and with how to control their weight. They
might exercise intensively or binge and then purge. Anorexia can
important to seek treatment as soon as possible for a child.
Early Signs
Early detection and prevention are key to treating eating
disorders in young children. The signs are often subtle, as your
child does not have to be focused on body image or weight to
have an eating disorder. Your child also does not have to meet
Early warning signs can include:
• fear of stomach aches
• aversion to tastes or textures
• tantrums
• excessive bowel movements
• worry about body image
Signs of a more developed eating disorder can include:
• refraining from eating
• reducing food portions
• weight loss
• lack of growth
• thinning of hair
• delay of puberty
• constipation or digestion problems
• hiding or hoarding food
• mood swings
Treating Eating Disorders in Young Children
There are many components of treating eating disorders
among young children. Regaining weight is an essential component
so that the child’s physical and nutritional health is re-
role in the child’s life, family-based intervention and treatment
is usually recommended. Parents often blame themselves for
the child’s eating disorder, so when parents can become more
-
ten better. Children may also receive behavioral interventions to
help expose them to foods they avoid and to help them regain a
healthy relationship with eating.
If you are the parent of a child with an eating disorder, it’s