Some Early Warning Signs of Teenager Eating Disorder

Children and teenagers suffer from a variety of eating disorders which often go unnoticed by the parents. Eating disorders are a kind of psychological problems which may even need the intervention of therapy. The disorders can make the day to day functioning of children difficult and may even lead to life threatening or more chronic illnesses.

It is important to recognize or identify the disorders as early as possible so that they can be treated at a time when it is easiest to cure them.  The following are some of the early warning signs of teenager eating disorders which can help to you identify them:

some early warning signs of teenager eating disorder

  • One of the early warning signs which can help you identity an eating disorder in your teenager is when the teenager is very strict about what he/she eats and sticks to a very narrow food groups or options. If your child has been behaving slightly strict off late about what he eats then you might want to get him to the doctor.
  • Another sign that can help you identify if a teenager is suffering from a kind of an eating disorder is when your teenager is highly inflexible about what he/she eats throughout the day.
  • When the teenager avoids those situations in which eating more than usual is required such as a party or a dinner, then this too is a sign of an eating disorder. If you notice that he/she has avoided such a situation more than a couple of times, then you must get the hint.
  • If your teenager has been losing weight off late and is at a weight which is below average, then this too could be a sign of an eating disorder and results due to taking in fewer calories than required.
  • If the teenager is acting slightly secretively or giving excuses about eating then this could be a sign of an eating disorder.
  • If the teenager has been using the bathroom frequently and especially after meals then this could also mean that the teenager has an eating disorder. In such a case, you must notice the behavior of the teenager after meals for a few days and see if the behavior is repeated.
  • If the teenager has been exercising a little too frequently so as to burn off more number of calories then this could mean that he/she might have an eating disorder.
  • Another sign of an eating disorder in your teenager is when he/she feels a little too cold and may have sleeping problems.
  • Eating disorders can also make teenagers or young people slightly withdrawn and depressed. Some of them may become more aggressive and there may be a change in their overall behavior at school, among friends and among the family.
  • Eating disorders among teenagers can also be responsible for causing several others recognizable signs such as alcoholism and drug addiction.
  • It can also lead to a drop in blood sugar level due to which he/she may experience fatigue, weakness and tiredness.