How can I tell if my child has an eating-related problem?
There are several different conditions that are grouped together as “eating disorders,” which can make it hard to know whether your child or young person might be struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder. In general, signs of an eating disorder can include:
Behavioural Changes
- Restrictive eating patterns (adopting a new diet, cutting out certain foods)
- Eating more than usual (even when not hungry) to the point of discomfort
- Eating in secret
- Disappearing to the bathroom after meals
- Losing interest in hobbies, friends and other things they used to enjoy
- Denying hunger or, conversely, becoming fixated with making food
- Engaging in ritualized eating behaviours (only eating in certain places and at certain times without any flexibility)
- Increased exercising, exercising in secret or showing extreme stress when exercising isn’t possible
- Hiding or hoarding food
- Wearing layers to hide their body shape (like oversized, baggy sweaters when the weather doesn’t call for this)
Emotional Changes
- Appearing to be unable to find comfort in anything other than food
- Increased moodiness or emotional dysregulation
- Expressing disgust with their body and believing it’s flawed
- Feeling guilty, ashamed or embarrassed
- Showing signs of depression or anxiety
Physical Changes
- Showing signs of extreme weight loss
- Failing to gain weight or keep weight on (in younger children)
- Experiencing gastrointestinal issues, stomach aches, constipation, and/or abdominal pain
- Showing signs of tiredness or exhaustion
- Experiencing dehydration
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Being unable to regulate body temperature
- Experiencing dry mouth or brittle nails
- Losing hair
- Fainting or feeling dizzy
- Showing signs of lethargy or weakness
- Getting sick often (impaired immune function)
- Losing menstrual period (in girls)
As a parent or caregiver, it’s important to consider what you’re seeing over time. For example, we all engage in disordered eating from time to time (eating more than usual while on vacation, eating poorly during exam time or when something stressful is going on). If you don’t see a return to regular eating behaviour fairly soon (once you’re home from vacation, once temporary pressures have been removed), something else might be going on. Remember that you know your child best, so if you see sudden changes or behaviours that seem to persist (and don’t seem to be related to a specific reason or time period) it’s a good idea to take a closer look.