Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children

3659 Words8 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Eating disorders among adolescents

Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children

"Eating Disorders in children and adolescents represent potentially life-threatening, debilitating conditions that impede physical, emotional, and behavioral growth and development. If treated soon after onset, childhood and adolescent eating disorders have a relatively good prognosis; however, if not treated, they may become chronic conditions by adulthood with devastating and sometimes irreversible medical, behavioral, and emotional consequences (Robin, Gilroy, and Dennis, 1998, pp421)."

Feeding problems and eating disturbances in toddlers and early school age children are not particularly rare. They occur in 25%-40% of the population (Kerwin, 1999). However, severe eating disturbances requiring treatment occur in only 3%-10% of young children (Kerwin, 1999). The most common eating disturbance in young children involves some form of food refusal, which some believe may be related to anorexia (Robin et. al., 1998).

Very little is known about eating disorders in pre-pubertal children, especially those who are otherwise healthy and have no apparent developmental disabilities (Singer et. al., 1992). According to Singer et. al., "Some authors have conceptualized eating disorders in pre-pubertal children as early manifestations of anorexia nervosa, but these children rarely met DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria" (Singer et. al, 1992, pp 847). Although children often do not meet the technical requirements to be diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa, they often fall into the category of eating disorders not otherwise specified (Robin et. al., 1998). And, the health risks for these children can be are just as serious as those risks for patients with a clear diagnosis.

Children who refuse food ha...

... middle of paper ...

...xperimental Psychiatry 18(2). 149-155.

Maloney, M.J., Pettigrew, H., Farrell, M. (1983). Treatment sequence for severe weight

loss in anorexia nervosa. International Journal of Eating Disorders 2(2). 53-58.

Robin, A.L., Gilroy, M., Dennis, A.B. (1998). Treatment of Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents. Clinical Psychology Review 18(4). 421-446.

Siegel, L.J. (1982). Classical and operant procedures in the treatment of a case of food

aversion in a young child. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology 11(2). 167-172.

Singer, L.T., Ambuel, B., Wade, S., Jaffe, A.C. (1992). Cognitive Behavioral treatment

of health impairing food phobias in children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 31(5). 847-852.

Winer, J.M. (1984). Psychopharmocology in childhood disorders. Psychiatric Clinics of

North America 7(4). 831-843.

Show More
Related

  • Louise: An Emotional Binge Eater

    890 Words  | 2 Pages

    O’Dea, Jennifer A. "Evidence for a Self-Esteem Approach in the Prevention of Body Image and Eating Problems among Children and Adolescents." Eating Disorders 12.3 (2004): 225-39. Web. Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Anorexia Nervosa Case Study

    743 Words  | 2 Pages

    The National Institute of Mental Health: Eating Disorders: Facts About Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions. Pub No. 01-4901. Accessed Feb. 2002.

    Read More

  • Experiment on Blood Pressure

    847 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Causes of High Blood Pressure: Weight, Diet, Age, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2013.

    Read More

  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy For Bulimia Nervosa

    2926 Words  | 6 Pages

    Wilson, G., & Fairburn, C. (1993). Cognitive treatments for eating disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 61(2):261-269.

    Read More

  • Family Dysfunction and Anorexia: Is there a correlation?

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    Each year millions of people in the United States develop serious and often fatal eating disorders. More than ninety percent of those are adolescent and young women. The consequences of eating disorders are often severe--one in ten end in death from either starvation, cardiac arrest, or suicide. Due to the recent awareness of this topic, much time and money has been attributed to eating disorders. Many measures have been taken to discover leading causes and eventual treatment for those suffering from anorexia. (http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource ...er.html#Causes of Eating Disorders) )

    Read More

  • The Study of Myopia and Photorefractive Keratectomy

    2063 Words  | 5 Pages

    For an eye to focus correctly on an object, it must be placed in a certain position in front of the eye. The primary focal point is the point along the optical axis where an object can be placed for parallel rays to come from the lens. The secondary focal point is the point along the optical axis where in coming parallel rays are brought into focus. The primary focal point has the object's image at infinity, where as the secondary focal point has the object at infinity. For people who have myopic eyes, the secondary focal point is anterior to the retina in the vitreous. Thus, the object must be moved forward from infinity, in order to be focused on the retina. The far point is determined by the object's distance where light rays focus on the retina while the eye is not accommodating. The far point in the myopic eye is between the cornea and infinity. The near point is determined by which an object will be in focus on the retina when the eye is accommodating. Thus, moving an object closer will cause the perception of the object to blur. The measurement of these refractive errors are in standard units called diopters (D). A diopter is the reciprocal of a distance of the far point in meters (Vander & Gault, 1998). The myopic condition manipulates these variables in order to ultimately make a nearsighted individual.

    Read More

  • An Overview of Anorexia Nervosa

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Shapiro, C. M. (2012). Eating disorders: Causes, diagnosis, and treatments [Ebrary version]. Retrieved from http://libproxy.utdallas.edu/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/utdallas/Doc?id=10683384&ppg=3

    Read More

  • Anorexia Nervosa, Binga And Binge Eating Disorders

    1086 Words  | 3 Pages

    Eating Disorders (EDs) are a series of often life-threatening mental health disorders which are commonly used as coping mechanisms or as ways to mask one’s problems. The causes of these illnesses are still being researched, and the effects they have on a person’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing can often be as long as the sufferer’s life.

    Read More

  • Negative Body Image Leads to Eating disorders

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Many kids — particularly adolescents — are concerned about how they look and can feel self-conscious about their bodies.” Eating disorders have the power to affect everyday life. Not only in just teens but all ages. They are able to cause extreme weight changes. As well as, it could affect your health for the rest of your life. (Source 1) By having an eating disorder everything becomes based off of that, if it isn’t helped or stopped it could become serious and damage your health permanently.

    Read More

  • Binge Eating Disorders Essay

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    The research question and goal of this study was to determine how well cognitive-behavioral therapy can affect adolescents with binge-eating disorder in the way the same treatment affects adults. Before creating the design to answer this three hypotheses were purposed for the study. The first two hypotheses states that cognitive behavioral therapy would have greater benefits than the waiting-list in reducing the number of binge eating episodes and reducing the number of days with a binge eating episode. From these hypotheses they also concluded that with cognitive behavioral therapy there will be a decrease in depressive symptoms which will lead to an increase in self-esteem and quality of life. And, that a decrease in binge eating episodes will also lead to stabilizing adolescents body mass index. It is fair to assume or hypothesize that with a decrease in binge eating episodes that ...

    Read More

  • Eating Disorders in America

    1926 Words  | 4 Pages

    Today, America is plagued with eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Compulsive Eating Disorders. Each has its own characteristics that distinguish the illness yet there are some similarities that they also share. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, as with most mental illnesses, eating disorders are not caused by just one factor but by a combination of behavioral, biological, emotional, psychological, interpersonal and social factors. Shockingly, they also report that in the United States, there are as many as 10 million females and 1 million males that are battling with eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. Additionally, another 25 million are struggling with binge eating disorders (www.NationalEatingDisorders.org). Typically, psychological factors such as depression and low self-esteem contribute to eating disorders...

    Read More

  • Eating Disorders

    1894 Words  | 4 Pages

    An eating disorder is a way of using food to work out emotional problems. These illnesses develop because of emotional and/or psychological problems. Eating disorders are the way some people deal with stress. In today’s society, teenagers are pressured into thinking that bring thin is the same thing as being happy. Chemical balances in the brain that may also result in depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, and bi-polar disorders may also cause some eating disorders. Other causes may be emotional events, illnesses, marital or family problems, manic depression, or ending a relationship. Over eight million Americans suffer from eating disorders. Over 80% of girls under age thirteen admit to dieting, one of the main factors linked to eating disorders. Although eating disorders are mainly found in middle- to upper class, highly educated, Caucasian, female adolescents, no culture or age group is immune to them (EDA HP, n.p.). The three major eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and compulsive over-eating or binge-eating.

    Read More

  • Eating Disorders

    1503 Words  | 4 Pages

    Eating disorders is a problem any one can get; it doesn’t matter what age they are. Eating Disorders can include many diseases, obesity, anorexia, bulimia, and many more. Some of this diseases can occur in an open and close of eyes sometimes it’s not noticeable on how it really occurred. Eating and hunger are a complex phenomena and it’s controlled by numerous of psychological, biological, and social factors. Sometimes it doesn’t really matter if people go to therapies it can be helpless for some people. Even though they keep going and going to therapies, it’s no use because they have that image of them self’s the wrong way even though he or she is very skinny. They see themselves with allot of weight, and the people who are overweight or obese, they eat too much because they don’t feel welcomed in any group of friends and eating helps them feel better. Many symptoms are seen and also felt when the person is going through. If a family member sees something strange with either a brother, sister, son or daughter, sometimes even the parents can be going through this. It is very important to talk to them or take them to a doctor. Sometimes culture can be a cause of eating disorders and how the research has proven this. Not only can this cause eating disorders but many more. Some of the time this kind of diseases can risk the life of an individual and when a doctor tries to help him or her it would be too late. All the damage has been done, and there is no way to go back in time and fix all the mistakes make once, to have that one alive and with his or her family. (Huffman. K.)

    Read More

  • Eating Disorders during Adolescence

    1894 Words  | 4 Pages

    An eating disorder is characterized when eating, exercise and body image become an obsession that preoccupies someone’s life. There are a variety of eating disorders that can affect a person and are associated with different characteristics and causes. Most cases can be linked to low self esteem and an attempt to, “deal with underlying psychological issues through an unhealthy relationship with food” (“Eating Disorders and Adolescence,” 2013). Eating disorders typically develop during adolescence or early adulthood, with females being most vulner...

    Read More

  • Adolescent Eating Disorders

    1663 Words  | 4 Pages

    With children as early as age 7 showing dissatisfaction with their body, and as young as 9 starting dieting, eating disorders are a serious issue in our society. Taking a look at perceptions, behaviors, and medical issues associated with the disorders of anorexia and bulimia, scholars have tried to categorize and find answers to the problems which certain adolescents suffer. In this paper I focused on the two major eating disorders of anorexia and bulimia.

    Read More

More about Anorexia and Food Refusal in Children

Open Document