8 Signs Your Child Might Be Hiding an Eating Disorder

About 1.25 million people in Britain have an eating disorder, with 4.3% of 11- to 16-year-old girls, 20.8% of 17- to 19-year-old girls and 5.1% of boys of the same age with one in ten living. 2023. Hospital admissions have risen by 84% in the past five years, according to figures released last year by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and they have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder.

According to Beat, the British eating disorder charity, it takes an average of three and a half years for someone to receive treatment after symptoms first start. Meanwhile, Bupa has found that 76 percent of parents lack confidence in their ability to spot the signs of mental illness in their child.

This isn’t surprising: eating disorders can be difficult to recognize. Less than six percent of those who experience it are medically underweight, and the problems manifest in many ways, from anorexia and bulimia to binge eating and OSFED (other specified feeding or eating disorders), when a person’s symptoms don’t quite fit the description of the most common conditions.

Here, our experts explain how to spot the signs your child or teen is suffering:

THINNING HAIR: Although a change in weight can be a clear sign of an eating disorder, it is certainly not the only indicator. Kerrie Jones, psychotherapist and founder of eating disorder treatment clinics Orri, explains that there can be other physical symptoms as well. “These can include chapped lips and looking pale and tired. Hair may thin, menstruation may stop or become less regular in girls, and in some, dental problems may result from vomiting. These are signs that someone has a nutritional deficiency and needs professional help.”

Specialist dietitian Nichola Ludlam-Raine adds: “Low body fat and malnutrition can also cause children to feel cold, even in warm environments, which is common with anorexia.”

INSOMNIA: Your child may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, and may wake up extremely early. Research has shown that people with anorexia spend more time awake at night and have more nights without sleep.

Nichola says: “Sleep disorders can be linked to malnutrition or the mental stress of restrictive eating or purging behaviours. Your child may also have difficulty concentrating.

“As well as an eating disorder, insomnia can indicate stress, anxiety or even medical conditions such as hyperthyroidism, so don’t jump to conclusions – encourage your child to see their GP with you.”

SOLID ROUTINES AROUND MEALS: A 2020 study found that 15 percent of people who suffer from an eating disorder also have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). “Becoming extremely rigid or controlling with meals, portions, or types of food can indicate obsessive behavior around food, which is common in anorexia or orthorexia,” says Nichola.

Kerrie adds: “You may notice changes in the way they eat as ‘rituals’ develop at the table, such as cutting food into small pieces, moving food around the plate, hiding food in napkins or under the plate, chewing too much or taking a long time to eat. time to eat.”

Your child may even drink liquids such as water, Diet Coke, or caffeinated drinks to control appetite. Kerrie says that as a parent it’s important to be aware of the way you talk about food.

“Labeling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ risks exacerbating someone’s fixation on nutritional value.”

WEARING LOOSE CLOTHING: Have you noticed that your child or teen is wearing larger or looser clothes than usual? Nichola says these oversized clothes are meant to hide their bodies. “This could be for a number of reasons, whether it is dissatisfaction with their appearance or to hide their weight loss.”

WITHDRAWAL FROM SOCIAL ACTIVITIES: Does your child seem to avoid social situations? Nichola says they can especially avoid situations involving food, such as parties or dinners. “They may need a lot of reassurance or information about what is going to happen and when, especially when it comes to food plans,” Kerrie adds. “You may notice that a previously extroverted person prefers to spend more and more time alone – you may hear him or her moving around a lot, looking red when you come in and being defensive when you ask what he/she is doing. has done, or you may notice that he or she suddenly goes out alone more often to walk the dog.”

OVER-PRACTICE: While your child or teen may simply be an avid athlete, Nichola says this could be a warning sign. “Excessive exercise, especially when done in secret or with an obsessive focus on burning calories, is commonly seen in both anorexia and bulimia.”

Kerrie adds that this is a key sign of a condition known as athletic anorexia, where exercise is prioritized over everything else: friends, family, work and socializing. “Exercising despite feeling exhausted or injured, being hyper-aware of food and its nutritional value, and using exercise as a way to ‘purify’ what you eat or drink are common behaviors.”

Often those living with an addiction to exercise struggle with low self-esteem or self-esteem. “This is masked by the euphoric (but fleeting) feeling of achievement during exercise,” she says.

FREQUENT STOMACH COMPLAINTS: Whether it’s bloating, stomach pain, or constipation, stomach-related problems are common in children with eating disorders. Research has shown that 98 percent of people living with it have at least one stomach complaint, with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) being the most common.

“This can be the result of restrictive eating, binge eating, or purging,” says Nichola. “But they can also indicate food intolerances, IBS or anxiety.”

BEING OVER SELF-CRITICISM: Is your child or teen becoming more introverted, self-critical and lacking in self-confidence? Kerrie says: “You may notice that they are increasingly making negative comments about their body weight or shape. “For some, the reflection they see in the mirror can be completely different from the one you see in front of you. “Your child may look at his reflection in the mirror, grab or touch parts of his body.”