There are several teen eating disorders which can cause changes in teen eating habits and lead to major health problems in the future. These habits can lead to even life threatening health problems if not treated in the initial stages. These are many of these eating disorders which are said to cause untold problems in children and teens. This article will discuss some of the main teen eating disorders that are quite common among today’s children.
Anorexia
Anorexia is a condition where the teen refuses to take in the required amount of calories due to an intense fear of getting fat. These teens will have a distorted body image. People with anorexia will still consider them as being heavy even they are extremely skinny. They are obsessed with becoming thin and refuses to take even the most essential parts of the daily caloric intake. As per the latest report in the National Institute of Mental Health, one out of every 25 girls have suffered from anorexia during their lifetime. But the dangerous thing is that most of these girls deny that they have an eating disorder. The most common symptoms of anorexia include anxiety, depression, being highly self critical, a perfectionist attitude, exercise or compulsive exercising, dieting even when one is too skinny and strange eating habits.
Anorexia can lead to several health problems in teens. Damage of major organs such as the heart, brain and kidneys, lowered blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, low pulse rate, thinning of bones and sensitivity to cold are some of the major health issues of a teen suffering from anorexia. One in every 10 cases have reported to be fatal for teens suffering from anorexia. Cardiac arrest, suicide and electrolyte imbalance are the most common causes of death.
Treating anorexia early is a must, in order to get the teen out of this dangerous condition. Changing the eating habits and bringing the teen back to normal weight is the first task of a medical practitioner. Hospitalization, sometimes for weeks, may be essential to treat such cases. If the case is life threatening, intravenous or tube feeding may be required. Antidepressant medication, behavioral therapy and psychotherapy are the other treatments for anorexia.
Bulimia
Bulimia is a condition very common among teens where the teen would grossly overeat. This is also similar to binge eating. He or she will then purge the food by vomiting or by using laxatives in order to prevent weight gain. Bulimic children fear gaining weight and are extremely unhappy with their bodies. They lose control around food and would eat too much food in a short amount of time. They often feel disgusted or ashamed after overeating. Major symptoms of bulimia include abusing drugs and alcohol, abusive laxatives and other medications to prevent weight gain, mood swings, binging on large quantities of food and sadness.
Treating bulimia is aimed to break the binge eating and purging cycle. Most popular treatments include antidepressant medications, behavioral modifications, group therapy and nutritional counseling.
Contact Doctor
The above mentioned are two of the main teen eating disorders which are quite common today. Consulting your doctor immediately once such symptoms are noticed, will help to safeguard the health and wellness of your precious teen.
Additional Information
Teen eating disorders: Tips to protect your teen
Teen Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders in Children and Teens
