Eating disorders vary and, of course, present differently for those who struggle with them. Many eating disorders do begin to emerge during adolescence or the teen years. However, it is not always easy to pinpoint the red flags in your own child…since they will likely work hard to keep their struggles off your radar.
Is your teen just exerting more control over their diet and fitness? Or is something harmful and unhealthy happening in their relationship with food and body image?
If you sense something is amiss, don’t ignore your gut. A combination of factors such as your child’s physical health, life experiences, and/or individual traits may be disrupting the way they eat. Thus, you are wise to err on the side of caution.
Pursue self-education with regard to eating disorders. Reach out for information and clear guidance. The more you know, the better prepared you can be when it comes to monitoring, supporting, and seeking help for your teen.
To start, consider the following:
Symptoms of 3 Common Eating Disorders
Bulimia Nervosa
- Fear of gaining weight
- Seemingly unable to identify that you’re already at a healthy weight
- Self-image and self-esteem tied to weight/body shape
- Recurrent, uncontrolled episodes of binge eating and inappropriate purging
Anorexia Nervosa
- Fear of gaining weight
- Highly restricted eating habits
- Substantially underweight for age and height
- Denial of being underweight
- Craving thinness over healthy body shape and weight
- Unstable self-esteem and self-image
Binge Eating Disorder
- Eating rapidly, in secret, and until you are uncomfortable from the volume of food
- Eating if you’re not hungry
- Lack of control during such binge eating episodes
- No purging behaviors
- Displaying guilt and shame about binge eating
8 Ways to Know if Your Teen May Have an Eating Disorder
1. Rigid, Self-Enforced Eating Habits
It’s normal these days for almost everyone to check the ingredients on a food package. If your teen is obsessed with this habit or will refuse food routinely based on a self-imposed regimen, take note.
2. Baggy Clothes
He or she may recognize that they’ve lost weight but not wish to draw any attention to this fact. A distinct shift in attire may be camouflage and should not be overlooked.
3. Physical Changes
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- Dehydration is common with anorexia and bulimia. This often results in dry skin and brittle nails.
- Another skin-related sign is an appearance of calluses on your teen’s knuckles from attempts to induce vomiting.
- After purging, your teen’s salivary glands may swell as well, causing swollen cheeks.
- The less body fat we have, the more susceptible we become to cold temperatures. Pay close attention to whether your teen seems unable to get or stay warm.
4. Emotional Changes
Running parallel to the physical changes are sudden emotional signs of disordered eating and dietary deficiency. Your teen may be increasingly irritable, withdrawn, anxious, and prone to catastrophic or black-and-white thinking (particularly about different foods).
5. A Sudden Exercise Obsession
More and more teens are getting in shape and participating in sports. Does your teen seem compulsive or obsessed about exercise? Take a closer look at the regimen and time spent training.
6. Distorted Body Image
Body insecurity and harsh self-criticism are sadly not unusual during teen years (or later in life, for that matter). This becomes a more apparent red flag when your teen calls often themselves fat, ugly, or shares other persistently negative perspectives about their body.
7. Weight Fluctuations
Keep an eye out for any fluctuating weight gain and loss.
8. Changes in Eating and/or Cooking Habits
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- Hides food: check for empty boxes and wrappers
- Cooks for others but doesn’t eat: Your teen wants to be around food even if they feel bad about eating
- Won’t eat in public: As eating becomes more emotionally complicated, it can provoke a phobia about being watched during meals
- Skips meals: extreme fasting or dieting is an early sign of an eating disorder
- Extreme Pickiness: This can be another early sign
- Leaves table immediately: Possibly points to post-meal purging
Talk to a Professional
You may be unsure whether you can effectively assess your teen’s eating behaviors. That’s okay. Just the fact that you are concerned is reason enough for you to consult with an expert. If you are convinced that help is required for your child then, of course, call in a professional as soon as possible. Either way, this is not a situation that should just a family matter.
Eating disorders can be dangerous to your teen’s short- and long-term health. The sooner you take action, the sooner a treatment plan can be put into place.
If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, don’t wait to seek help. As a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, I can help you take productive steps soon to feel better about food, your body, and yourself. If you have questions, you can contact me through this website or if you are ready to start your healing journey you can book an appointment.
