Our 7 year has suddenly developed all the characteristics of an anxiety disorder after experiencing the "embarassment" (her word) of spilling juice all over her school uniform at lunch. This now plays itself out in her getting "tummy aches" every morning before school, immediately before lunch at school, and in every social setting where she is expected to eat with and in front of other children (i.e. birthday parties, Sunday school snacks, etc). We've already consulted with her teacher, the school psychologist, and her pediatrician. The pediatrician has recommended that she carry one Tum(r) in each pocket of her school uniform. This is, of course, against school policy. The school is considering waiving its policy, which may prove to be all we need.
In the meantime, she doesn't eat lunch at school, barely eats any breakfast on weekdays and this is, of course, beginning to affect her schoolwork. She is also beginning to lose a small amount of weight. She eats ravenously at dinnertime and on the weekends, but I'm not in favor of this kind of "feast and famine" type of eating.
Neither my wife nor I want to make a big production out of her not eating because we fear a worse outcome than we already have - a full fledged eating disorder.
This all began quite suddenly on January 12 with no previous history of eating problems. School schedules have been erratic all of January. Tomorrow begins the longest run without days off until Spring Break.
Two questions:
1) Is our sense of taking "little notice" of the problem the best way to go? (or alternatives?)
2) At what point do we need a different type of intervention?
Counselling? Medication?
Thanks,