The Age Myth about Eating Disorders

[Carol]

Many people think that when there is an issue of eating disorders at an early age. They think eating disorders begin when a person is a teenager or in their early twenties. While there are studies that have been done that somewhat supports this theory, there are some studies that support a different theory. They say that most of the tendencies of these eating disorders are made known between the ages of thirteen and nineteen years of age. However, there are some that show these signs though they aren't as strong by age ten.

The theory of this is that it's just going to get worse from here as time goes on as well this could even get worse. The reason is that while it's great to teach kids about staying healthy and such in the schools and at home due to the childhood obesity crisis that America is facing, there might be an issue with kids dealing with the way they look. About ten percent of kids being diagnosed with some form of eating disorder is diagnosed at the age of ten. Some of them are even being reported at showing these symptoms at age five.

While we want to encourage kids that we as adults who love and cherish them want to see them eat healthy and all, it is important that we teach them that they are beautiful no matter what they look like. The reason for this is because at a young age, children just want to make their parents proud. As parents and educators, we are supposed to be building them up and encouraging them to make something of themselves. If we keep hounding them about their appearance, they will do all in their power to ensure that they are healthy in every aspect.

There are three behaviors that are most common with kids from ages five to ten years of age. These are common symptoms of eating disorders that they are most capable of using. These three things are excessive exercising, refusing to eat which is otherwise known as fasting, as well as self motivated throwing up.

The thing to remember is that even if you aren't sending that message to children, what they might watch on television and the other children that they might hang around with might give them this image as well. These might be teaching your children that they need to look a certain way. That is why it is important to be such a key element in your child's lives so that you as the parent can monitor these things. If you don't, who will?

If you feel that your child might have an eating disorder, bring this up with your doctor. He or she will know for best how to treat it and to diagnose it properly. What you deem as just a phase might not be a phase after all. We don't mean to scare you, but rather to make you aware that as more coverage on childhood obesity circulates, you need to ensure your child that they are beautiful just the way they are and that they have nothing to worry about. It might only get worse from here and more cases might stem from all of this. While it's good, it might be too good.