Eating disorders
Information, Symptoms, Treatments and Resources
How to Spot an Eating Disorder in Your Teen
When to Get Help
If you suspect your child may have an eating disorder, it’s important that they get help — immediately. Eating disorders require professional treatment, and will not go away on their own. If left untreated, eating disorders carry serious, long-term physical and mental health effects — including kidney damage, organ failure, low heart rate, depression and suicidal thoughts — or even death.
Often, those with eating disorders will need to undergo medical supervision, nutritional counseling and therapy — in severe cases, they may need to be hospitalized for a period of time. The length of a treatment plan often depends on the severity and duration of the disorder.
It’s important to remember that your child will need your long-lasting, ongoing support — with the proper treatment and support system, they can get their lives back on track, developing healthy eating and exercise habits that they can carry with them into adulthood.
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