SUMMIT — A 16-year-old girl has announced that she wants to be a healthy eater and has eliminated all white foods ? flour, pasta, rice, etc. ? from her diet. Fats also have been eliminated.
A 12-year-old girl has grown 6 inches in the past year but has gained only 1 pound during that time.
A 9-year-old boy had a stomach virus three weeks ago and vomited for two days. Now he is terrified to eat and has lost 4 pounds.
Those are three case studies Dr. Leslie Sanders, the interim director of the Adolescent/Young Adult Center for Health at Overlook Hospital’s Goryeb Children’s Center, presented as possible scenarios where it might be time to worry about that child having an eating disorder.
?When most people think of eating disorders, they think of an emaciated teenage girl who doesn’t want to be fat based on images they see in the media and in school,? said Sanders, who frequently sees cases of anorexia and bulimia nervosa, offering medical monitoring, nutritional counseling and individual, family and group therapy. ?But that’s really not how it goes.?
There also is the softball star whose coach says is in top shape because the player no longer is getting her period ? a sign of peak athletic performance and proficiency ? and the male cross country runner who has lost 20 pounds in one season because ?he is in love with running,? only now he is depressed.
There are myriad warning signs out there for eating disorders, and conditions such as anorexia can plague both girls and boys. If left unchecked, they can result in serious, lifelong medical problems, according to Sanders.
Sanders’ team ? featuring therapists, psychiatrists, nutritionists and physicians ? at the center offers individual therapy and nutrition counseling, as well as other programs that range from eight to 40 hours a week, to help avoid such a potential prognosis.
?Eating disorders really have nothing to do with dieting, food or appearance,? said Sanders, who believes parents should especially watch out for frequent school absences associated with physical symptoms, constant mood swings and complex medical problems. ?Simplistically, they are ways of dealing with stress, emotional needs that are not being met or other psychological issues. They can happen to anyone.?
More information about stomach woes and their treatment is available by calling 800-247-9580 or by visiting atlantichealth.org.